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125 I II ''^''-'■- I'l ^~^- \ "IINTEERS. 
(See description and inscriptions pages 249, 250, 251.) 



HISTORY 



OF THE 



€)nc l^untirct) and CtDenttfifti^ Bcgimcnt 
ptnnjs^ltiania Boluntccrjs 



1862—1863 



BT 

THE REGIMENTAL COMMITTEE 



PRINTED BY 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY 

PHILADELPHIA 

1906 



£5X1 



JAN lOieoT 



PREFACE 



To THE Survivors of the 125TH Regiment^ Pennsyl\'ania 
Volunteers, and Friends. 

At the reunion of our Regimental Association, in the year 
1893, we were appointed a Committee to prepare a Memorial 
Volume hy which to transmit to coming generations a faithful 
record of the services rendered to the nation by the 125th Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, when rebellion threatened its life. 

To preserve tlie Union and maintain the supremacy of the 
government and law, many regiments of loyal and heroic citizens 
promptly responded to the appeal of President Lincoln, and were 
mustered into the service of the United States, and performed 
their part well. Some of them had longer terms of service, but 
probably none rendered more effective service, at a more critical 
period of the war, than did the officers and privates of the 125th 
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, who left peaceful homes and 
avocations in civil life, and attested their loyalty and patient 
endurance in weary marches, through summer's heat and winter's 
storms, and their bravery and devotion to their country's cause as 
shown by the heavy losses sustained by the regiment on bloody 
battlefields. 

The lamented death of one of the Committee (Comrade J. 
Fletcher Conrad) while actively at work in collecting materials 
for the history, and other unexpected contingencies, delayed the 
work ; but now, after much time and patient eft'ort gratuitously 
given, your Committee has finished its labors, and the result is 
before you. The volume is not all that the Committee could wish 
it to be ; many things are omitted that you perhaps would have had 
recorded; some things perhaps inserted which you would have 
excluded, but nevertheless the book is now submitted with the 



hope that you will generously overlook its faults and indulgently 
accept it as the best that we could produce from the material at 
hand. 

Yours in fraternal regard, 

Wm. W. Wallace, (Chairman) 
Thomas McCamant, 
JosL\H D. Hicks, 
J. Randolph Simpson, 

Committee. 
Members deceased: 

J. Fletcher Conrad, 
Robert Cozzens. 



Co tl)e -(Hemory of tlie IBt- 



(WHO LEFT THEIR HOMES FOR THE 
TENTED FIELD, AND HEROICALLY 
ENCOUNTERED HARDSHIPS, PERILS, 
AND DEATH IN PATRIOTIC RESPONSE 

TO THE APPEAL OF ABRAHAM 

LINCOLN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 
STATES, FOR THE AID OF LOYAL 
CITIZENS, IN THE SUPPRESSION OF 
REBELLION.) 

^Tyc^ iioitime tg fraternally 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

The Antietam Monument and Inscriptions - 

Preface S 

Dedicatory Notice 7 

Portrait, President Abraham Lincoln 1 1 

Portrait, Governor Andrew G. Curtin 12 

Portraits, Generals McClellan, Hooker, Slocum, Mansfield i3~iS 

Portraits, Geary, Crawford, and Kane 16-18 

Portrait, Colonel Jacob Higgins and Biographical Sketch 19-21 

Portrait, Lieut. Col. Jacob Szink and Biographical Sketch 22-23 

Portrait, Major John J. Lawrence and Biographical Sketch 24-25 

Map of Antietam Battle-Field 28 

Narrative; from Organization to Antietam, by Hon. Thos. Mc- 

Camant, Co. G 29-100 

Narrative; from Antietam to Chancellorsville, by Hon. J. D. 

Hicks, Co. K 101-148 

Map of Chancellorsville 102 

On the March, and in Fire of Battle, by Dr. Theo. L. Flood, 

Co. C 149-164 

Reminiscent and Historical, by Capt. W. W. Wallace, Co. C. . ..165-201 
Personal Observations and Experiences, by Sundry Comrades. .201-209 
Photo' of Regimental Reunion at Antietam in the Year 1888. . . . 213 
Photo' of Regimental Reunion at Antietam in the Year 1904. . . . 217 

Dedicatory Services at the Unveiling of the Monument 219-251 

Portraits of Comrades Whose Photographs Reached the Com- 
mittee 253-290 

Illustrations — 

DuNKARD Church 70 

Harper's Ferry 107 

Chancellorsville House 130 

Charge of Kane's Brigade 138 

A Poem, The Blue and the Gray, by Colonel Prentiss Ingraham 326 

Roster of the Regiment 291 

Appendix : A Chronological Record of Important Events from the 
Attack on Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, to the Surrender of 
General Lee, April 9, 1865 33i"~342 




■/!■ — ' 



'^ 



, ^/y^^O^^-'^T-'Ccr-t^' 




The "War (^ovkknok " of Pennsylvania 
AND Soldiers' Friend. 

(See pages 31, 32, 40, and 188.) 




Major-(;eneral Gf.(m<ge B. McClellan, 

In Command of the Army of the Poton.ac at the Battle of Antietam. 
(See pages 46-58, 79.) 




Maj.-Gex. Joseph E. Hooker. 

Commanding the Army of the Potomac at Chancel- 
h/rsville. May, 1863. and Army of the Cumberland, Sep- 
tember, 1863. Born in Hadley. Mass., November 13, 1814. 
Died October 31, iSyu. 




Ma.i.-(1en. Henry Warner Slocum, N. V 

Cadet M. A., July, 1848; ist Lieutenant, July i, 
'55; Col. 27th N. Y. Infantry, May 21, '61 : Brig- 
adier-General, Volunteers, .Aug. 9, '61 ; Major- 
General, Volunteers, July 4, '62. Died, April 14, 




General Joseph King Fenns Mansfield. 

Born New Haven,. Conn., ^^^:^^^^--;J:i;J::Zi of '^in 
Academy, West Point, at 14 years Graduated s ^^ ;„ 

1822. 1832, First L.eutenant f 35.>-J„\^'(^;i„„el, and Colonel 
Mexican War brevetted M^J"^!^-';"';'"^ "he Army. 1861, April, 
of Engineers. 1853, 1"^??"°"';^" ommand forcTs at Washington, 
summoned from the Northwest to command forces ^^^ ^ 

D. C. May 17, 1861, P,™"?'°''=l^;"!frt Fortress Monroe, New- 
Army. Rendered, valuable ^^^v ce at J ort ^^ Antietam, 



port News, Suffolk, and 
September 17. i?' 



ervice ai iv^in^.^- - — >. 

nortally wounded at Antietam, 




J5vT. Maj.-Gen. John White Geary. 

Captain 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry, December 21, 
1846; Lieutenant-colonel, January 7, 1847; Colonel 23rcl 
Pennsylvania Infantry, June 28, 1861 ; Brigadier-General 
Volunteers, November 25, 1862 ; Brevet Alajor-General 
Voliimcers. January 12, 1865. Died February 8, 1872. 




5vT. Maj.-Gen. Samuel Wylie Crawford. 



Assistant Surgeon, March lo, 1851 
G neral, Volunteers, April 25, 186; 
ember 3, 1892 



Major, 13th Infantry, May 14, 186 
; Major-General, March 18,1865; 



; Brigadier 
Died, Nov- 




Brig.-C;kn. Tikis. Leipeu Kane. 

Lieutenant-Colonel 13th Pa., 1861 : ISiigadier-General, Volunteers, Sept. 7, '62 
rSrevet Maior-deneral, Volunteers. March 13, 1865, for gallantry and distinguished 
service at Battle of Gettysburg. Died, Dec. 26, 1883. 




CoLONEi- Jacob C. Higgins. 



COL. JACOB C. HIGGINS. 

Colonel Jacob C. Higgins was born March 7th, 1826, in Wil- 
liamsburg, Huntingdon County, Pa., now Blair County, Pa, 
(Son of John and Mary R. Higgins.) He served in the Mexican 
War in Company M, Second Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry, 
under General Scott, and was severely wounded inside the 
gates of the City of Mexico, at its capture. Was mustered 
out July 2ist, 1848. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, in 
1861, he was at Portage Iron Works, at Duncansville, Pa., 
and promptly responded to the first call for troops by Gov- 
ernor Curtin, who telegraphed him to come to Harrisburg 
at once. He was then Colonel of the First Regiment, Fourth 
Brigade, Eleventh Division, Pennsylvania Militia. On April 
20th, 1861, he was commissioned Captain and Quartermaster of 
the Second Brigade (General Wynkoop's) under General Patter- 
son. In July, 1861, he was mustered out of service, and at once 
recruited Company G, First Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was com- 
missioned Captain August ist, 1861. On September 27th, he was 
promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Pennsylvania Cav- 
alry, and commaiided five companies. At the battle of Draines- 
ville, l)eccml)er 20th, 1861, he led the first charge into the town. 
He resigned in 1862, and helped to recruit the " 125th Regiment,'' 
Pennsylvania \^olunteer Infantry, and was commissioned its 
Colonel, August i^)th, i8f>2. lie was at South Mountain. l)ut not 
engaged in battle; was at the battle of Antietam, September 17th, 
during the whole day, the regiment sustaining a heavy loss, ^^'as 
with the regiment cii route to i-'redericksburg. and was at Chan- 
cellorsville, \ a. in that five days' battle he commanded the left 
wing, Seciuid lirigade, Geary's Division, Twelfth Army Corps, 
and wliile ( ieneral V. L. Kane was teni])»)rarily disal)led. he was 
in command of the Second i')rigadc. When the term of the 
regiment expired, he was mustered out at Harrisburg, May 
iStli. 1863. 

In June, 1863, just before the F'attle of Gettysburg, he was 

ordered by Major General Couch and Governor Cm-tin to take 

command of all troo]is in sontliwestern PennsyK ania, to head off 

General Imboden, who was at Hancock with orders from General 

20 



21 

Lee to move on Altoona, burn up the shops, tear up the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad and gather supplies, which a large force of volun- 
teers and militia prevented. Colonel Higgins then assisted in 
recruiting a battalion of five cavalry companies, which formed 
part of the Twenty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer 
Cavalry. 

As Colonel of the Regiment he participated in the Shenandoah 
Valley and mountains of West Virginia, and commanded the 
Brigade most of the time, also General Stahl's Division for some 
time, and after the surprise and capture of the post at New Creek 
he was ordered by General Sheridan to march at once to New 
Creek, assume command and put it in fighting condition. His 
command was the Second Brigade, Second Division, Department 
of West Virginia, with three field batteries, one fort, and 3,000 or 
4,000 troops, covering Hancock, Md., to Piedmont, W. Va., with 
headquarters at New Creek. 

He remained there until the close of the war, and was mus- 
tered out July 2 1 St, 1865. 

He was a member of the U. V. L. No. 60, and Emery Fisher 
Post No. 30, G. A. R., Johnstown, Pa., until his death, which 
occurred June i, 1893. He was buried in the cemetery of Johns- 
town, Pa. 




Lieut. -Col.. Iacois .S/.ink. 



JACOB SZINK. 



Jacob Szink, Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment, was born in New 
Cumberland, Cumberland County, Penna., July 24th, 1824, and removed to 
Altoona, Penna., in 1852, to take charge of the blacksmith department of 
the Pennsylvania Railroad shops then being built there. He continued as 
Foreman of the blacksmith shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. 
until the date of his death on August ist, 1872. Colonel Szink was a very 
patriotic citizen and, at the outbreak of the war, secured leave of absence 
from the Pennsylvania Railroad Co., and recruited company " E " of the 
Third Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for the three months' 
service. He afterwards was active in encouraging enlistments, and when 
President Lincoln issued his call July ist, 1862, for 300,000, volunteered 
for nine months' service. Captain Szink again secured leave of absence 
from his employers, and recruited company " D " of the 125th Regiment 
of Pennsj'lvania Volunteers ; he being very popular with the working 
men of Altoona. his company was filled to overflowing, and many who 
could not secure enlistment in his company joined Captain Gardner's 
company " K " that was being recruited for the same regiment at the 
same time and place. On the organization of the regiment at Harrisburg, 
Captain Szink was made Lieutenant Colonel and took an active interest 
in promoting its efficiency, rode at the head of the regiment at Antietam 
and acted gallantly on the occasion of the charge of the regiment from 
the west woods to the cornfield and where the regiment relieved the 
Pennsylvania Reserves. Shortly after the Regiment had marched from 
the cornfield Colonel Szink's horse was shot and the Colonel was dis- 
abled by the explosion of a shell and by reason of that disability he could 
not participate further in the action at Antietam. After the discharge 
of the regiment from service he resumed his place as foreman of the 
blacksmith shop of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and again in 1864 he 
re-entered the service and was elected Major of the battalion of 100 
days men and was with the battalion near Chambersburg in the fall 
of 1864 when that place was destroyed by fire. Colonel Szink was 
active as a citizen after the close of the war and was prominent in 
Altoona and Blair County as a leader among men, and as one of the 
prominent officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He died 
at the age of 48 years, mourned and respected by a large circle of friends. 



23 




Major Joiix J. Lawrence. 



MAJOR JOHN J. LAWRENCE. 

Born March 27th, 1827, in Washington County, Pa. At 
the time of President Lincohi's call for troops, in July, 1862, Col- 
onel Lawrence resided in Huntingdon, Pa., and was superin- 
tendent of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad Company. 
Feeling it was his duty to aid in suppressing the rebellion, he 
volunteered, not expectmg any higher position than carrying a 
rifle and knapsack in the ranks. The wires on the railroad 
announced to the employes and others that their superintendent 
had decided to join the army, and in a few days he was joined 
by a hundred brave men, willing to leave wives, families and 
homes to battle for their country. At a meeting of the volunteers 
in the Court House at Huntingdon a company organization was 
effected, and he was unanimously elected captain, August ist, 
1862. At the organization of the 125th Regiment, at Camp Cur- 
tin, Harrisburg, on August i6th, 1862, he was chosen and com- 
missioned major, which position he held until honorably mus- 
tered out at the expiration of service, May i8th, 1863. He was 
never absent from his 'post, except for four weeks in the Seminary 
Hospital, Georgetown, D. C, owing to injuries he received while 
on a reconnoissance at the time of the battle of Chantilly, and as 
soon as fit for duty he rendered efiicient and conspicuous service 
in the subsequent movements and record of the regiment until 
mustered out with it on May 18. 1863. Very soon thereafter 
came the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania and a report of an 
attack on Mt. Union, Pennsylvania Railroad, as their objective 
point. This resulted in a prompt reassembling of the rank and 
file of the 125th Regiment at that place, and on receipt of a 
despatch from General McDowell (or Couch) Colonel Lawrence 
took command and speedily made preparations for a gallant 
defense. He subsequently was appointed colonel of the 46th Regi- 
ment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, which was finally mustered 
out after the Gettysburg campaign had ended with the expulsion 
of the Confederates from Pennsylvania soil. He then became 
superintendent of the Allegheny Valley Railroad Company, and 
later in life was engaged in business with his sons in Pittsburg, 
Pa., until his death, on March 27, 1893. He was a man of cul- 
ture, of fine personal appearance and of sterling character, patri- 
otic, public-spirited, hospitable and generous. Being widely 
known and esteemed, he died lamented by a host of friends. 

25 




Hon. Thomas McCamant. 

Of Company "G" 



FROM ORGANIZATION 
TO THE CLOSE 

OF THE 

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM 



BY 

LIEUTENANT THOMAS McCAMANT 

Born, July 29tli, 1840, at Antis Forge, in Antis Township, Huntingdon 
County (now Blair County). His father, Graham McCamant, was a 
prominent iron manufacturer. Lieutenant McCamant was educated at 
26 



27 

the Tuscarora Academy, in Juniata County, and at Lafayette College, 
Easton, Pa., where he graduated in the class of 1861. He was mustered 
into the service of the United States as second lieutenant of Company 
'■ G," on August 13, 1862, and was mustered out with the regiment on 
May 18, 1863, having participated in all its marches and battles. He 
was on the skirmish line at Antietam, and was complimented by Generals 
Knipe and Kane for efficiency as an officer. He commanded a company 
of returned soldiers at Bloody Run (now Everett), Bedford, Pa., during 
the invasion of June, 1863, having participated in all its marches and 
battles. He was admitted to the practice of law in the several Courts 
of Blair County, in October 31, 1864; served as chief clerk in the office 
of the Secretary of the Commonwealth under Governors Geary and 
Hartranft, also as Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth under the 
latter ; then for two years as chief clerk under Governor Hoyt ; then 
chief clerk in the Auditor-General's department under Auditor-Generals 
Lemon, Niles and Norris. In 1888 he was appointed Auditor-General of 
Pennsylvania, on the death of Auditor-General Norris, and was elected 
to the same office at the general election that year. At the expiration 
of his term of office in 1892 he resumed the practice of law at Harrisburg, 
where he still resides, and is a member of the Dauphin County 1)ar. 

\v. w. w. 

The Battle-Field of Antietam September 17, 1862. 

(SEE M.\P (IN OPPOSITE P.\(;E) 

On the afternoon of September i6th. Hooker's corps crossed at the two fords and the bridge 
north of McClellan's headquarters. 

A. From near sunset till dark Hooker engaged Hood's division (of Longstreei's corps) about 

the '• East wood," marked A on the map. Hood was relieved by two brigades of Jackson's corps, 
which was in and behind the Dunker Church wood, C. 

R. At dawn on the 17th, Hooker and Jackson began a terrible contest which raged in and 

about the famous corn-field, B, and in the woods. A and C. Jackson's reserves regained the corn- 
field. Hartsuff's brigade of Hooker's corps and Mansfield's corps charged through the corn-field 
into the Dunker Church wood, Mansfield being mortally wounded in front of the Flast wood. 
Jackson, with the aid of Hood, and a part of D. H. Hill's division, again cleared the Dunker 
Church wood. J. G. Walker's division, taken from the e.xtreme right of the Confederate line, 
charged in support of Jackson and Hood. 

C. Sumner's corps formed line of battle in the center, Sedgwick's division facing the East wood, 

through which it charged over the corn-field again, and through Dunker Church wood to the edge 
of the fields beyond. McLaws's division (of Longstreet's corps) just arrived from Harper's Ferry, 
assisted in driving out Sedgwick, who was forced to retreat northward by the Hagerstown pike. 

D. French and Richardson, of Sumner's corps, about the same time dislodged D. H Hill's 

line from Roulette's house. 

E. Hill re-formed in the sunken road, since known as the '' Bloody Lane," where his position 

was carried by French and Richardson, the latter being mortally wounded in the corn-field, E. 

F. Irwin and Brooks, of Franklin's corps, moved to the support of French and Richardson. 

At the point F Irwin's brigade was repelled, as described by General Longstreet on page 313. 

G. D. H. Hill, re-enforced by R. H. Anderson's division of Longstreet's corps, fought for the 

ground around Piper's house. 

H. Stuart attempted a flank movement north of the Dunker Church wood, but was driven 

back by the thirty guns under Doubleday. 

J. Pleasanton, with a part of his cavalry and several batteries, crossed the Boonsboro' bridge 

as a flank support to Richardson, and to Burnside on the south. Several battalions of regulars 
from Porter's corps came to his assistance and made their way well up to the hill which is now the 
National Cemetery. 

K. Toombs (of Longstreet) had defended the lower bridge until Burnside moved Rodman and 

Scammon to the fords below. 

L. Then Toombs hurried soulh to protect the Confederate flank. Sturgis and Crook charged 

across the Burnside Bridge and gained the heights. Toombs was driven away from the fords. 

M. After three o'clock, Burnside's lines, being re-formed, completed the defeat of D. R 

Jones's division (of Longstreet). and on the right gained the outskirts of Sharpsburg. Toombs, 
and the arriving brigades of A. P. Hill, of Jackson's corps, saved the village and regained a part of 
the lost ground. — Editor. {From the Century Magazine.') 



^?k:t 



EXPLANATION 

UNION CONFEDERATE 



yu 



CONr^D LINE [VCNING SEP16 \ /., ' 5 \ "^^^JM /f'-^^^^^ '^-iuO^ „, C 'ft'? "> S: 





FROM ORGANIZATION TO THE CLOSE 

OF THE 

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM 

By lieutenant THOMAS McCAMANT. 

At the close of the year 1861, ahnost nine months had 
elapsed since the beginning- of the great rebellion that divided 
the states of the North and the South, and though comparative 
quiet then reigned, both Federal and Confederate armies were 
busy in swelling their ranks with recruits for the conflict of arms 
soon to be resumed. 

Activities began in the west sooner than in the east, and in 
the month of January, 1862, we had the battle of Mill Spring, 
which was a victory to the Federal arms, and resulted in the death 
of the Confederate General Zollicoffer. This was followed in 
February by the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, with 
many prisoners, after a stubborn contest in the case of the latter 
Fort that brought to the front the subsequent great commander, 
General Grant. During the same month General Curtis drove 
the Confederate General Price out of the state of Missouri, but 
the only movement of importance in the east was the capture of 
Roanoke Island by General Burnside. 

The great victory at Fort Donelson stimulated other opera- 
tions, and in the month of March there was the battle of Pea 
Ridge, the fight between the Monitor and the Merrimac, the 
capture of New Bern and the battle of Winchester, all of which 
were Federal victories, and had the effect of making people of the 
North impatient at the Army of the Potomac lying motionless. 
This feeling of unrest caused the President to order a move- 
ment of the said Army on the enemy, which resulted in the 
discovery that Manassas Junction, that had been occupied all win- 
ter by the Confederates, was evacuated. 

After the discovery thus made, it was determined to transfer 
said army to Fortress Monroe, and it was accordingly done 
in the month of April, and the siege of Yorktown was then 

29 



30 

begun. During said month there took place in the west the 
two days' battle of Shiloh, the capture of Island Xo. lo, on the 
Alississippi river, by General Pope, and in the far South the 
fall of the city of New Orleans, and the opening of the mouth of 
the Mississippi river. 

Tn ]\Iay, Yorktown was evacuated by the Confederate Army, 
and the pursuing Federals advanced and fought the battles of 
Williamsburg and Hanover Court House; but when within five 
miles of the city of Richmond and in sight of its spires, dis- 
aster befell it at Fair Oaks, and about the same time General 
Banks' command was stampeded down the Shenandoah Valley 
to Harper's Ferry. 

The defeat at Fair Oaks and the stampede of Banks' com- 
mand made the people of the North anxious for a great and 
decisive victory in the east, that would equal what had previously 
been accomplished in the west ; and this period of anxiety was fol- 
lowed by one of depression antl gloom during June, caused by 
the raid of the Confederate General Stuart around the Army of 
the I'otomac anrl the destruction of its base of supplies, and b}- 
the seven days" battle that ended at Malvern Hill on July ist. and 
the subsequent retirement of said .\rni\- to Harrison's Landing, 
on the James river. 

The Army (^f the Potomac, though defeated, was not dis- 
mayed, and the gloom that existed in the North was a dark cloud 
with a silver lining, for it created there a greater determination 
than ever to subdue the rebellion tliat had been inaugurated by 
the South more than a year previous, and to speedily furnish the 
Government with all the men and means necessary to accomplish 
that end. 

Governors of the majority of the states loyal to the Federal 
cause, know^ing the feeling of their people, and knowing also that 
the numerical losses of the armies in the east and the west ren- 
dered large additions necessary, addressed a communication to the 
President, urging him to call upon the several states for addi- 
tional men to aid in the suppression of the Rebellion, which com- 
munication is found published in the Official Records of the War 
o.f the Rebellion, Series 3, \'ol. 2. page 180. 

The Governors of other states true to the I'nion subsequentiv 
joined in this request. 

To the said comnuniication, tlie President made the renlv. 



31 

which is found published in the Official Records of the War of 
the Rebellion, Series 3, Vol. 2, page 187, and constitutes the call 
of July I, 1862, for 300,000 additional men to aid in the suppres- 
sion of the Rebellion. 

An order was issued the following da}-, fixing the quota of 
troops to be furnished by the several states. The quota of Penn- 
sylvania, under said call, was fixed at 45,321, as is shown by note 
at the foot of page 188, Official Records, War of the Rebellion, 
Series 3, Vol. 2. 

C. P. Buckingham, Brigadier-General and Assistant /Vdjutant- 
General, sent a dispatch to Governor Curtin on July 7th, 1862, 
requesting him to raise, as soon as practicable, twenty-one new 
regiments of volunteer infantry, to be part of the quota under 
the call of the President. This dispatch is found in Official 
Records, War of the Rebellion, Series 3, Vol. 2, page 208. After 
receiving said dispatch. Governor Curtin issued the following 
proclamation, to wit : 

Pennsylvania, SS : 

In the name and by the authority of the State of Pennsylvania, Andrew 
G. Curtin, Governor of the said Commonwealth. 

A PROCLAMATION. 

To sustain the government in times of common peril by all his 
energies, his means and his life, if need be, is the duty of every loyal 
citizen. The President of the United States has made a requisition on 
Pennsylvania for twenty-one new regiments and the regiments already in the 
field must be recruited. Enlistments will be made for nine months in the 
new regiments and for twelve in the old. The existence of the present 
emergency is well understood. I call on the inhabitants of the counties, 
cities, boroughs and townships throughout our borders to meet and take 
active measures for the immediate furnishing of the quota of the state. 
I designate below the number of companies which are expected from the 
several counties in the state, trusting the support of her honor in this 
crisis, as it may be safely trusted, to the loyalty, fidelity and valor of her 
freemen. 

Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State, at Harrisburg, 
this 21 st day of July, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred 
and sixty-two, and of the Commonwealth the eighty-seventh. 

A. G. CURTIN. 
By the Governor : 

Eli Slifer, 
Secretary of the Conunonwealth. 



32 

Two companies were designated to be furnished from Blair 
County and two from Huntingdon County, but this must have 
been subsequently changed, as more were furnished by each county 
for different new regiments. 

Recruiting that had previously begun, became more active 
after the issuing of the Proclamation of Governor Curtin, and 
the patriotic spirit of the citizens of Blair and Huntingdon 
counties was aroused to its utmost extent. War meetings were 
held at all principal points in the said two counties, which were 
addressed by leading citizens, several of whom gave examples 
of their courage and patriotism by forming companies or enlisting 
as private soldiers ; and it was not long until the said two counties 
furnished more than the full quota of men assigned to them, and 
no draft had to be resorted to, as was the case in many of the 
other counties of the Commonwealth. 

Under this call of the President, of July 2d, 1862, and the 
proclamation of Governor Curtin, of July 21st, 1862, the 125th 
Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was raised, mainly in the 
counties of Blair and Huntingdon, during- the latter part of July 
and early part of August, of the year 1862. Some of the com- 
panies were being recruited originally for three years' regiments, 
but, owing to the urgency of the Government for troops and the 
shorter term of service for which enlistments would be made, as 
announced in the Proclamation of the Governor, said companies 
at once decided to connect themselves with the 125th Regiment, 
and were soon filled with their complement of men. Other 
companies were quickl}' recruited and made themselves a part of 
said regiment. 

The men composing the regiment were not militia nor was 
the regiment ever treated and regarded by the United States 
Government as a militia regiment, as has sometimes been erron- 
eously asserted. The ( )fficial Records of the \\'ar of the Rebel- 
lion, Series 3, Vol. 2, page 291. will show that on August 4th, 
1862, under General (Orders 04. a draft for 300.000 militia was 
ordered by the President, and was to be enforced in any state that 
did not by the 15th day of August, 1862, furnish its quota of 
the 300,000 volunteers included in the call of July 2, 1862, but at 
this date the men of the 125th Regiment were all in Camp Curtin, 
at Harrisburg. and had been nnistered into the United States 
service ; and the said Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, 



33 

Series 3, Vol. 2, show, on page 758, that Pennsylvania raised eigh- 
teen regiments of volunteer infantry for nine months, under the 
call of July 2, 1862, and the names of the regiments so raised 
are given on page 760 of the said records, same series and 
volume, and the 125th is one of said regiments. This same page 
760 gives the numbers of the drafted regiments, and Bates' 
Histo'ry of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Vol. 4, page 834, also pages 
1084 to and including 1298, not only gives the numbers of the 
drafted regiments, as aforesaid, but also the counties of the 
state from which tlie drafted men came, but none whatever were 
from the counties of Blair and Huntingdon, where the 125th was 
principallv raised. The note at the foot of page 188, Vol. 2, 
Series 3, of the said Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, 
shows that the quota of Pennsylvania, under the call of the 
President of July 2, 1862, for 300,000 volunteers, was fixed at 
45.321, and she furnished 30,891 men without resorting to a draft. 
The draft that took place in Pennsylvania in 1862 was in 
the month of September of that year, when the 125th was in 
active service, and was to fill the deficiency in the quota assigned 
to the said state under the call of July 2, 1862, as aforesaid; and 
this the said Volume 2, Series 3, of the said War Records will 
show Furthermore, the said Official Records of the War of the 
Rebellion, Series 3. Vol. 4, page 216, show tliat the nine months' 
volunteers from Pennsylvania, in the year 1862, were accepted 
by the President into the service as nine months' volunteers. 
They all were credited with good accounts, and all met with 
heavv losses in battle, except the 135th and I37tli, and this the 
official records of the battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chan- 
cellorsville and Gettysburg will prove beyond the least doubt; 
and that two of the regiments met with no loss is due to good 
fortune alone, and not to any lack of patriotism. 

The 125th Regiment had in its ranks men from all walks m 
life The representative citizen, the professional man, the man 
of business, the mechanic, the farmer and the day laborer were 
found among its numbers, and joined elbow to elbow and tented 
together during its term of service. It was raised m a short 
time and enlistments therein were made purely out of patriotic 
motives. It was not a militia regiment, as has previously been 
shown, nor was anv one attracted to its service by the offer of 
large bounties such as were given to secure recruits at a later 
3 



3-4 

period in the war. It can be truthfully classed as part of the 
300,000 volunteers included in the call of President Lincoln, of 
July 2, 1862, and "' Father Abraham," the favorite song of John 
S. Gibbons, is applicable to it as well as other volunteer regiments 
that entered the United States service in the year 1862. 

A few of the men of the regiment had seen service in the 
late war with Mexico; some had been members of military 
organizations of the Commonwealth before the Rebellion, others 
had been in the late three months" service, but the great majority 
of its members had no previous military experience. 

Company " A " was recruited at Tyrone, Blair County, and 
had as its Captain, Francis M. Bell, who had previously been a 
merchant in Tyrone, and who had served as Second Lieutenant 
of Company " D," Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
in the previous three months' service. Jesse S. Stewart, a member 
of one of the principal families of Central Pennsylvania, was 
made its First Lieutenant, and Wilbur F. Martin, a dentist in 
Tyrone, was made its Second Lieutenant. Lieutenant Stewart 
was subsequently killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, and on 
May 4th, 1863, Lieutenant Martin was promoted to First Lieu- 
tenant, and First Sergeant David (i. Ganoe assumed the rank of 
Second Lieutenant. 

Company " B " was recruited at Williamsburg, Blair County, 
largely under the auspices of Colonel Jacob Higgins and Adjutant 
Robert M. Johnston, but Ulysses L. Hewit, who had previously 
been a marble cutter, in the town of Williamsburg, was selected 
as its Captain. Joseph R. Higgins, a brother of the Colonel, was 
made its First Lieutenant, and Garian Shellenberger, who had 
served as a corporal in Company " C," Third Regiment. Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers, in the late three months' service, was chosen 
Second Lieutenant. 

Company " C " was recruited at Huntingdon. Huntingdon 
County, and had as its Captain, William ^^^ W^allace, who was 
connected in business with his uncle, R. B. Wigton. a coal 
operator, at Huntingdon. William B. Zieglcr. formerly a tinner 
and hotel keeper, in Huntingdon, was made First Lieutenant, and 
William F. McPherran, who at that time was a student, was 
made Second Lieutenant. Lieutenant McPherran died on Feb- 
ruarv 6th, 1863, and Lieutenant Ziegler resigned on February 
2=5th, of the same year, and First Sergeant L. Frank Watson, was. 



35 

on February yth, 1863, promoted to Second Lieutenant, and again, 
on the resignation of Lieutenant Ziegler, to First Lieutenant, and 
Sergeant T. L. Flood, to Second Lieutenant. This company was 
known as the " Bible Company," from the fact that the citizens 
of Huntingdon presented each member with a Bible. 

Company " D " was recruited at Altoona, Blair county, largely 
through the efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob Szink, who had 
been Captain of Company " E," Third Regiment of Pennsylvania 
Volunteers, in the late three months' service, and was made up 
principally of employes of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. 
Lieutenant-Colonel Szink was mustered into service as its Cap- 
tain, but when the regiment was organized and he was made Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, on August i6th, 1862, Christian Ilostetter was 
chosen Captain, Alexander W. Marshall First Lieutenant, and 
Peter S. Treese Second Lieutenant. All three of these men had 
previously been in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
pany, at Altoona. Captain Hostetter was discharged on March 
17th, 1863, for wounds received at the battle of Antietam and for 
disability. On April 17th, 1863, Lieutenant Treese was dis- 
charged for the same reasons, and on March 17th, 1863, Lieu- 
tenant Alexander W. Marshall was promoted to Captain, and 
First Sergeant Thomas E. Campbell to Second Lieutenant, and 
again, on April 19th, 1863, to First Lieutenant, and on the same 
date. Sergeant George W. Hawksworth was promoted to Second 
Lieutenant. 

The principal recruiting for Company " E " was done at East 
Freedom and vicinity, in Blair County, but it had in it an overflow 
of men from Company " A " brought to it by Lieutenant John G. 
Cain, who was subsequently the Adjutant of the regiment. Wil- 
liam McGraw, who had been First Lieutenant of Company " H," 
Fourteenth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the late 
three months' service, was made its Captain, and Samuel A. Kep- 
hart, previously a hotel clerk, was selected as First Lieutenant, 
and John G. Cain, a respected citizen of Smith's Mills, Clearfield 
County, and who had been the First Sergeant of Company " D," 
Fourteenth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the previous 
three months' service, was chosen Second Lieutenant. On Sep- 
tember 20th, 1862, Lieutenant Cain was, as previously stated 
made Adjutant of the Regiment, to fill the vacancy caused by 
the death of Adjutant Robert M. Johnston at Antietam, and on 



36 

the same day, First Sergeant John H. Robertson was pro- 
moted to Second Lieutenant. 

Company " F " came from the Broad Top Region, and other 
points in Huntingdon County, and was recruited through the influ- 
ence of Major John J. Lawrence, who was the Superintendent 
of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad and Coal 
Company, at Huntingdon. He was mustered into service as Cap- 
tain of the company, hut on his selection as Major of the regi- 
ment, William H. Simpson, a farmer residing in Huntingdon 
County, and who had previously served as Second Lieutenant of 
Company " H," of the Fifteenth Regiment of Pennsylvania \"ol- 
unteers, in the late three months' service, was made Captain, 
and William C. Wagoner, who had been a private in Company 
" E," Fifth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the late 
three months' service, was made First Lieutenant, and Franklin 
H. Lane, who was then a school teacher and had previously been 
connected with state military organizations, was selected as Sec- 
ond Lieutenant. Lieutenant Wagoner was discharged from the 
service on February 9th, 1863, for wounds received at Antietam 
and for disability, and on that day Lieutenant Lane w'as promoted 
to First Lieutenant, and First Sergeant J. F. N. Householder 
to Second Lieutenant. 

Recruiting for Company " G " was conducted mainly at Hol- 
lidaysburg, in Blair County, where about fifty of the company 
were raised. The balance of the company v.as made up of men 
brought to it from Duncansville and vicinity, in said county, and 
from Antis township, in said county. John McKeage, who had 
served in the war with Mexico, and who had been First Lieu- 
tenant of Company '' A," Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Vol- 
unteers, in the late three months' service, and who at that time 
was the Treasurer of Blair County and the proprietor of a tobacco 
and cigar store in Hollidaysburg, was made Captain of the com- 
pany. Samuel A. Andrews, who had been Second Lieutenant 
of Company " H," Fourteenth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, in the late three months' service, and who was a puddler 
in the employ of the Portage Iron Works, at Duncansville, was 
selected as First Lieutenant, and Thomas McCamant, who was a 
student-at-law in the office of [Messrs. Blair and Dean, at Holli- 
daysburg, and who had graduated from LaFayette College, at 
Easton, l\'nns\ Kania. llic preceding year, was chosen Second 



37 

Lieutenant. The recruits obtained at Duncansville were through 
the efforts of Lieutenant Andrews, and those from Antis town- 
ship through the efforts of Lieutenant McCamant. 

Companies " H " and " I " came from different parts of Hunt- 
ingdon County, the principal recruiting point being the town of 
Huntingdon. Henry H. Gregg, a member of one of the leading 
families in the Juniata region, and a brother of the cavalry leader, 
General D. McM. Gregg, and who at that time was a student, 
was made Captain of Company " H," and John Flenner, a retired 
farmer of Huntingdon County, was selected as First Lieutenant, 
and Samuel F. Stewart as Second Lieutenant. Samuel F. 
Stewart resigned on January 24th, 1863, and First Sergeant 
James T. Foster was then promoted to the position of Second 
Lieutenant. 

William F. Thomas, who had resigned the position of First 
Lieutenant of Company " G," Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves, on 
October 14th, 1861, and who was a photographer in Hunting- 
don, was selected as Captain of Company " I," and George 
Thomas, who had resigned the position of Second Lieutenant of 
Company " G," Fifth Pennsylvania Reserves, on October 24th, 
1861, and who was a hotel keeper in said town, was selected as 
First Lieutenant of the company, and John D. Fee, a Huntingdon 
County farmer, was chosen Second Lieutenant of the same com- 
pany. 

Company " K " was recruited chiefly at Altoona, Blair County, 
but had sixty men brought to it from Cambria County. Many 
of the men of this company were also employes of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad Company. Joseph W. Gardner, who, like Captain 
McKeage, had seen service in the war with Mexico, and had been 
First Lieutenant of Company " B," Third Regiment of Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers, in the late three months' service, was made 
Captain ; and Edward R. Dunnegan, a lumberman and one of the 
good citizens of St. Augustine, Cambria County, was chosen First 
Lieutenant, and Daniel J. Travis, who was an employe of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, as aforesaid, was selected as 
Second Lieutenant. Lieutenant Dunnegan brought to the com- 
pany the recruits it received from Cambria County. 

The several companies, as soon as recruited, were sent to Har- 
risburg in box cars with the ends sawed out, and containing 
improvised seats of rough boards. In some cases brass bands 



38 

headed companies on their way to the depot, and played " Auld 
Lang Syne " and patriotic airs ; and in all cases friends escorted 
companies to the railroad stations, and bid the different members 
an affectionate and grateful adieu, whilst tearful and prayerful 
good-byes were given by wives, parents, sisters and sweethearts. 
All along our route to Harrisburg, at stations where the train 
stopped, the good people of Pennsylvania assembled in large 
numbers to furnish us drinking water and wish us God-speed. 

Arriving at Harrisburg, we were marched to our place of 
rendezvous. Camp Curtin, and were assigned quarters in streets, 
by companies. This was early in the month of August, and here 
our soldier life may be said to have begun. We drew tents and 
blankets, and slept on Mother Earth instead of comfortable beds 
such as we had at our homes, and here also we commenced to 
make our meals on soldiers' rations. 

We were among the first recruits to arrive at Camp Curtin, 
but our numbers were added to daily for one week after our 
arrival, being the result of enlistments made in different sections 
of the Commonwealth. Then the camp was filled to overflowing, 
and became ver}- dusty from the tramp of thousands of men. 

The recruits underwent a physical examination, and were 
mustered into the United States service daily from August loth 
to August 1 6th. by Captains Lane and Norton, of the Regular 
Army, and then uniformed. 

The regiment was organized on August i6th, 1862, following 
a meeting for that purpose of the Captains and First Lieutenants 
of the several companies, at the Brady House, in Harrisburg, the 
evening previous. Jacob Higgins. of Williamsburg, Blair County, 
who had been instrumental in recruiting Company " B," and who 
had previously served in the war with Mexico, and as Lieutenant- 
Colonel of the First Pennsylvania Cavalry until the preceding 
January, was made Colonel. Jacob Szink, of Altoona, Blair 
County, who had been mustered as Captain of Company " D," 
and who w^as foreman of the Pennsylvania Railroad blacksmith 
shop, at Altoona. and whose ]irevious military service has been 
given, was selected as Lieutenant-Colonel, and John J. Lawrence, 
an active and influential citizen of Huntingdon and superintend- 
ent of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad and 
Coal Compau)-, as previously stated, and wlio had l)een mustered 
as Captain of Coni])an\' " F." was chosen Major. 



39 

Colonel Higgins appointed Robert M. Johnston, of Williams- 
burg, Blair County, who had been Second Lieutenant of Company 
" C," Third Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, in the late 
three months' service, Adjutant, and William C. Bayley, a citizen 
of Hollidaysburg, Blair County, Quartermaster, of the regiment. 

Lieutenant Johnston served as Adjutant until his death on 
September 19th, which was the result of the wound he received at 
Antietam, and on the following day Lieutenant John G. Cain was 
appointed Adjutant. On November 7th, 1862, Quartermaster 
Bayley was made Brigade Commissary, and Asbury Derland, a 
Corporal in Company " C," was appointed Quartermaster. 

Other appointments, at the time of organization of the regi- 
ment were Dr. John Feay, of Williamsburg, Blair County, sur- 
geon ; Francis B. Davidson, Assistant Surgeon ; Rev. John D. 
Stewart, of Tyrone, Blair County, Chaplain ; Joseph M. Becker, 
of Company " F," Sergeant-Major ; David Feay, of Company 
" B," Quartermaster-Sergeant; Samuel G. Baker, of Company 
" B," Commissary-Sergeant, and J. Fletcher Conrad, of Company 
" C," Hospital Steward. Doctor Feay resigned on October 9th, 
1862, and Dr. Davidson on November 24th, 1862, when Lewis C. 
Cummings was appointed Surgeon, and Augustus Davis, Assist- 
ant Surgeon, and on February nth, 1863, Doctor L. F. Butler, 
of East Freedom, Blair County, was appointed a second Assistant 
Surgeon. Commissary-Sergeant Samuel G. Baker died on March 
15th, 1863, and Henry Lloyd Irvine, a private of Company "G," 
was made his successor. 

At the time the regiment was organized the exigencies of the 
General Government were great, and it was sorely in need of 
men. Harrison's Landing, on the James river, to which the 
Army of the Potomac, under General McClellan, had fallen back 
after the battle of Malvern Hill, was evacuated the very day the 
125th was organized, and the Army of Virginia, under General 
Pope, was then being confronted on the Rappahannock and 
Rapidan rivers by large detachments from General Lee's Con- 
federate Army. Previously, Stonewall Jackson had defeated, at 
Cedar Mountain, General Banks' command, to which we were 
subsequently attached. 

To show the urgency of the Government for troops in August, 
1862, it is but necessary to refer to the Official Records of the 
War of the Rebellion ; and in Series 3, Vol. 2, page 366. of said 



40 

records, we iind the following dispatch from the President to 

Governor Curtin, viz. : 

War Department, 

Washington, D. C, 

August 12, 1862. 
Governor Curtin, 

Harrisburg, Pa. 

It is very important for some regiments to arrive here at once. What 
lack you from us? What can we do to expedite matters? Answer. 

A. LINCOLN. 
To this dispatch. Governor Curtin replied as follows : 

Harrisburg, Pa., August 12, 1862. 
A. Lincoln, 

President of the United States, 

Washington, D. C. 

Three regiments will be organized this morning, and leave as soon as 
transportation is ready. We have 13,000 men here, and will organize 
as rapidly as equipments and transportation can be provided. The 
regiments from Lancaster can go, and expect to hear from Philadelphia 
that some are ready there. 

A. G. CURTIN, 

Governor. 

The second day after we left Harrisburg, these same War 
Records show, in Series 3, Vol. 2, page 407, the following dis- 
patch from General Halleck: 

Washington, D. C, 

August 18, 1862. 
Brigadier General Ketchum, 
Harrisburg, Pa. 

Confer with Governor Curtin, and urge upon him the importance of 
pushing forward troops without a moment's delay. The enemy is 
accumulating troops more rapidly than we are, and re-inforcements must 
be sent us with all possible haste. 

H. W. HALLECK, 

General in Chief. 

The regiment, at the date of its organization, on August i6th, 
1862, numbered 906 officers and enlisted men. It was armed 



41 

that afternoon with Springfield rifled muskets, and then ordered 
to proceed to the seat of war. All were eager for active service 
and full of enthusiasm. That evening we were loaded in 
freight cars, containing rough board seats, and after an all night's 
moonlight ride, on the Northern Central Railway, with several 
stops, we arrived at Baltimore, and took breakfast at the Union 
Refreshment Saloon, in said city. We were then transferred to 
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and proceeded on our way to 
Washington, which place we reached about noon of Sunday, 
August 17th, and reported to General Casey. We stacked arms 
on Capitol Hill, and were quartered for the night in a warehouse 
nearby. 

Whilst we lay on Capitol Hill, Honorable S. S. Blair, of Hol- 
lidaysburg. Pa., the representative in Congress from the Seven- 
teenth Congressional District, composed of the counties of Cam- 
bria, Blair, Huntingdon and Mifflin, visited us, and had words of 
encouragement and cheer for all. 

On the morning of August i8th, we took up our march for the 
State of Virginia, and moved out Pennsylvania Avenue to the 
Potomac River. We crossed the said river on the Long Bridge, 
and after marching into said state a distance of seven miles, halted 
and pitched our tents in a field near Hunter's Chapel and Fort 
Richardson, where the artillery of Blenker's division lay encamped 
the preceding winter, and were made part of General Whipple's 
command, in charge of the defences of W^ashington. 

The camp we established was named Camp Welles, after 
Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy, and was soon filled wath 
other Pennsylvania regiments and troops from different states. 
Whilst we lay in this camp, drill and fatigue duty were constant 
and arduous, and sickness broke out in the regiment. Five com- 
panies were sent to the forts near us, to practice heavy artillery, 
and were kept there for several days. We remained in this camp 
until the evening of August 26th, when we moved to Fort Barnard, 
near by, and found it a more healthy location. Here we remained 
until we started on the Maryland campaign. 

These were gloomy days at Washington, and the following 
brief review of events will give the cause, to wit : The separate 
commands of Banks, McDowell, and Fremont were consolidated 
during the month of July, and placed under the control of General 
Pope, the consolidated command being known as the Army of 



42 

Virginia. In the same month, Stonewall Jackson, of the Con- 
federate Army, was detached from General Lee, and on the 19th 
of the month was at Gordonsville, and Stuart's cavalry, at the 
same time, were near Fredericksburg. On August 9th, the Fed- 
eral defeat at Cedar Mountain occurred. On August 13th, the 
Confederate General Longstreet was detached from General Lee, 
and joined Stonewall Jackson on the 15th. On August i6th, 
Harrison's Landing was evacuated by the Army of the Potomac, 
and said army was transferred to Acquia Creek Landing, and 
subsequently to Alexandria ; and Burnside's command was 
brought up from North Carolina. 

General Pope, in his article in the " Century Magazine," in 
1886, on " The Second Battle of Bull Run," says that from 
August i8th to August 26th, his army was fighting almost 
continuously. Reynolds joined Pope on August 22d, and he 
was also reinforced by General Reno, of Burnside's command. 
As fast as the Army of the Potomac arrived at Alexandria, 
it was moved to the assistance of Pope, but much of it did 
not reach him in time to avert defeat. On August 27th, the 
line of the Rappahannock river had to be abandoned, and the 
army moved to Gainesville ; and on that evening there was a hard 
fight between General Plooker and the Confederate General 
Ewell, at a place known as Kettle Run. On the 28th of August, 
General King and Stonewall Jackson fought at Groveton, and on 
the 29th and 30th, there was heavy fighting all along the line at 
Groveton, and General Pope was obliged to fall back to Centre- 
ville. Then General Lee sent Stonewall Jackson to the Little 
River Turnpike to turn the right flank of the Federal Army, and 
this brought on the battle of Chantilly, where Generals Kearney 
and Stevens were killed, and caused a retreat of said army to the 
defences of Washington. 

This succession of disasters was enough to cause gloom at 
Washington; and the men of the 125th will well recollect with 
what anxiety we waited news from the battlefields, whilst we 
had to listen to the booming of cannon in the distance, and how 
discouraging the news A\as when we received any. We will also 
recollect, when we saw reinforceiuents going to the front on 
August 29th, 30th and 31st. how willing we were to join them, 
if our services were re(|uired. and how busy we were in working 
on fortifications. arrcstiuLi" stragglers, and in the discharue of 



43 

other duties assigned us, also how sad we felt at seeing the 
wounded brought to the rear. 

The situation at this time, causing the gloom if not panic at 
Washington, is shown also in the statement of General McClellan, 
when he took command of the amiy on September 2d. It is as 
follows : " The President and General Halleck came to my 
house, when the President informed me that Colonel Kelton had 
returned from the front ; that our affairs were in bad condition ; 
that the army was in full retreat upon the defences of Washing- 
ton; the roads filled with stragglers, etc. He instructed me to 
take steps at once to stop and collect the stragglers ; to place the 
works in a proper state of defence, and to go out to meet and 
take command of the army, when it approached the vicinity of 
the works, then to place the troops in the best condition — com- 
mitting everything to my hands." 

During these days of gloom, and especially the time the regi- 
ment lay at Fort Barnard, part of it was engaged in connecting 
the different forts near us with a chain of rifle-pits, part was used 
in the formation of a line of dispatchers between the Arlington 
House and General Cox's headquarters, at Munson's Hill, part 
did picket duty at or near Lee's Mill and Bailey's Cross Roads ; 
and Captain Wallace, with a further part, escorted an ammuni- 
tion train to the battlefield of Chantilly or Ox Hill. When not 
so engaged, time was occupied in drill, in helping our v/ounded 
to get to Washington, and in stopping stragglers from many dif- 
ferent organizations. 

On August 29th, John Scott, Esquire, of Huntingdon, after- 
wards a United States Senator from Pennsylvania and General 
Solicitor of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, arrived in our 
camp, and presented Major Lawrence with a sword. Colonel 
Higgins, at the time, made a short speech to the regiment, in 
which he said, " I do not ask you to go, but to come on." Major 
Lawrence, a few days later, was thrown from his horse, at or 
near the Chantilly battlefield, and so disabled as not to be with 
us until the month of October following. 

But before proceeding further with the regiment and the 
movements of the Federal army, let us turn our attention to what 
the Confederate army was doing. General Lee was elated with 
his many successes recently achieved, and with having driven 
both the Armv of the Potomac and the Armv of A'irginia within 



44 

the defences of Washington, and concluded he would turn his 
attention to the upper Potomac. He accordingly moved his army 
in the direction of Leesburg, and on arriving there was informed 
that the Federals at Winchester had fallen back to Alartinsburg 
and Harper's Ferry. He then determined to enter ^Maryland to 
secure supplies and recruits for his army, and relieve the people 
of that State from the thraldom in wdiich he supposed they were 
held by the North. In an official report, made on Alarch 6th, 
1863, that contained among other matters his account of the 
Maryland campaign of 1862, he says ; " The war was then trans- 
ferred from the interior to the frontier, and the supplies of rich 
and productive districts made accessible to our army. To prolong 
a state of affairs in every way desirable, and not to permit the 
season for active operations to pass without endeavoring to inflict 
further injury upon the enemy, the best course appeared to be 
the transfer of the army into Maryland." All through the South 
it was believed the people of Maryland were heart and soul with 
the Confederac}-, and all that was necessary to cause thousands 
of Marylanders to enter their army and for Baltimore to bid 
the army a hearty w^elcome, was for it to come into their state. 
He crossed the Potomac at White's Ford, about three miles 
below the mouth of the Monocacy, on September 5th, with Stone- 
wall Jackson's command in the lead. It is said, when about the 
middle of the river, which at that time w^as only knee deep, Gen- 
eral Lee arose in his saddle and took oflf his hat, and the Con- 
federate bands then struck up the tune of " Maryland, my Mary- 
land," and the whole command joined in singing the same. At 
that time this was the favorite hymn or song of the South, and 
it was drummed on almost every piano, and sung throughout the 
Confederacy. It was written by James R. Randall, formerly a 
]\Iarylander, but in 1860-61, a professor in Poydras College, upon 
the Fausse Riviere, of Louisiana. It first made its appearance 
in a newspaper known as the " New Orleans Delta." Although 
it is known as a Confederate song, it is not amiss, as a contribution 
to history, to give it in part here, and the first and last verses are 
quoted, as follows : 

" The despot's heel is on thy shore, 

Maryland ! 
His torch is at thy temple door, 

Maryland ! 



45 



Avenge the patriotic gore. 

That flecked the streets of Bakimore, 

And be the battle queen of yore, 

Maryland, My Maryland !" 



" I hear the distant thunder hum, 

Maryland ! 
The ' Old Line's ' bugle, fife and drum, 

Maryland ! 
She is not dead, nor deaf nor dumb; 
Huzza ! She spurns the Northern scum. 
She breathes ! She breathes ! She '11 come ! She '11 come ! 

Maryland, My Maryland !" 

General Walker says he crossed the Potomac at Cheek's Ford, 
about three miles above White's Ford, on September 7th, and 
when any part of the army crossed the river it moved soon there- 
after to Frederick City. Stuart's cavalry entered said city at ten 
o'clock on the morning of September 6th. General Lee arrived 
the same day, and estabHshed his headquarters in Best's Grove. 
On the day he arrived he issued his address or proclamation to 
the citizens of Maryland, which is published in the Official 
Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series i, Vol. 19, part 2, 
page 601. 

His address did not arouse or enthuse the Marylanders, and 
it brought very few recruits to the Confederate army. 

Lee thought Harper's Ferry would be evacuated when he 
reached Frederick, for the reason that he would be between it 
and Washington, but when he found out it was still occupied by 
the Federals he took steps to seize it. On September 9th, he sent 
Stonewall Jackson across the Potomac to first capture the Federal 
outpost at Martinsburg, and then move on Harper's Ferry. This 
was necessary to open his line of communication through the 
valley of Virginia. He also ordered Walker's division to assist in 
taking the place from Loudon Heights, whilst Jackson operated 
ao-ainst Bolivar Heights. General McLaws, about the same time, 
was directed to move against Maryland Heights. 

Lee's designs at this time are given by General Walker in 
his article pubhshed in the " Century Magazine," in 1886. He says 
that General Lee sent for him, and ordered him to destroy the 
aqueduct of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, at the mouth of 



46 

the ]*iIonocacy, assist in the capture of Harper's Ferry, rejoin the 
army at Hagerstown, rest for a few days, get shoes and clothing, 
and collect stragglers. They were then to destroy the Baltimore 
and Ohio Railroad, march to Harrisbnrg, and destroy the railroad 
bridge on the Susquehanna river at Rockville, five miles west of 
that place. Lee said to him, that with the Baltimore and Ohio 
Railroad in their possession and the Pennsylvania Railroad 
broken, the great lakes would be the only route left to the west, 
and he could then turn his attention to Philadelphia, Baltimore 
and Washington. 

Only part of this programme was carried out. Jackson, by 
rapid marches, reached Alartinsburg. and found that on the night 
of September nth the outpost at that place had been withdrawn 
to Harper's Ferry. He immediately directed the steps of his 
command to the latter place, which he reached on September 
1 2th. General McLaws got in possession of Maryland Heights 
on September 13th, the evidence of which possession our regi- 
ment will recollect seeing when we encamped there soon after 
the battle of Antietam. General Walker also took possession, on 
the same day, of Loudon Heights, on the eastern slope of which 
we also encamped during the following November. 

With the abandonment of Maryland Heights, and the environ- 
ment of Harper's Ferry, its surrender was accomplished on 
September 15th. through the incompetency of its commander, 
Colonel Miles, who was mortally wounded. Here 11,000 Federal 
troops laid down their arms, and this part of General Lee's pro- 
gramme, as well as the destruction of the canal aqueduct, was 
carried out to the letter ; but he soon found out he had other 
matters to engage his attention, and had to abandon the destruc- 
tion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the invasion of 
Pennsylvania. 

This surrender of Harper's Ferry has always been regarded 
at the North as disgraceful, but in this connection it can be said, 
with credit, that our cavalry, at that place, 2.500 strong, under 
command of Colonel Davis, refused to surrender, and, after escap- 
ing the Confederate army, surrounded and captured General 
Longstreet's wagon and ammunition train. 

No sooner did the Confederate army cross into Maryland than 
the Federal army, under General McClellan, entered said state. 
At that time, it was uncertain what Lee's intentions were, and 



47 

McClellan did not know whether he proposed to capture Washing- 
ton by a flank movement down the north bank of the Potomac, 
or to move on Baltimore, or invade Pennsylvania ; and he said this 
uncertainty made him resolve " to march cautiously, and advance 
the army in such order as to keep Washington and Baltimore con- 
tinually covered, and at the same time to hold the troops well in 
hand, so as to be able to concentrate and follow rapidly if the 
enemy took the direction of Pennsylvania, or to return to the 
defence of Washington, if, as was greatly feared by the authori- 
ties, the enemy should be merely making a feint with a small 
force to draw off our army, while with their main forces they 
stood ready to seize the first favorable opportunity to attack the 
Capital." 

To ascertain the intentions of the enemy. General McClellan 
sent the cavalry to the fords along the Potomac, and moved the 
Second and Twelfth Corps to Tenallytown, and on September 
6th to Rockville. The Ninth Corps he first moved to the Seventh 
Street road, near Washington, and again on September 6th, it 
and the First Corps, and Conch's division, of the Fourth Corps, 
were placed at Tenallytown. 

When it became known in Pennsylvania that the Confederate 
Army had entered Maryland, the scare there was as great as 
that which had previously existed at Washington, and Governor 
Curtin made haste to call out the militia of the state. At the same 
time, he appealed to the general Government for aid. Volume 
19, Series i, part 2, of the Ofificial Records of the War of the 
Rebellion, gives a full account of the consternation that existed 
at this time in Pennsylvania, and it is now amusing 'to read on 
page 269, of said Volume 19, Series i, part 2, of the War Records, 
Governor Curtin's dispatch of September 11, 1862, for 80.000 
troops, and on page 276, of the same volume, President Lincoln's 
reply. Quite a number of militia regiments were placed on the 
borders of Pennsylvania whilst the Confederate army was in 
Maryland, and some of them crossed over the line into Maryland, 
but their services were not required to defeat Lee, and we recol- 
lect of seeing numbers of said regiments at Antietam two days 
after the battle. 

On the evening of September 6th, the regiment received 
orders to report for duty to General A. S. Williams, temporarily 
in command of the Twelfth Army Corps, at Rockville, Maryland, 



48 

and tents were at once torn down, rations cooked and effects 
packed. We left Fort Barnard at eight o'clock in the evening, 
crossed the Potomac at Georgetown, took a road leading to Rock- 
ville, and after marching about six and one-half miles in the 
state of Maryland, halted at two o'clock the next morning in a large 
clover field, where we had our first night's sleep with the starry 
firmament for a covering. We reached Rockville about nine o'clock 
A. M., September 7th, and halted in a grove adjoining a Catholic 
church, where we lay until September 8th, then moved a short 
distance beyond Rockville, and reported to the Twelfth Army 
Corps. We were assigned to the First Brigade, of the First 
Division, of said Corps, and the brigade, after this assignment, 
consisted of the following regiments, to wit : Tenth Maine, 5th 
Connecticut, 28th New York, and 46th, 124th, 125th and 128th 
Pennsylvania. The first four named regiments were reduced in 
strength, by reason of previous service, and losses sustained at 
the late battle of Cedar Mountain. The Brigade was commanded 
by Brigadier-General S. W. Crawford, the Division by Brigadier- 
General George H. Gordon, and the Corps by Brigadier-General 
A. S. Williams. 

The make-up of the Twelfth Corps at this time and during 
the campaign in Maryland was as follows : 

TWELFTH ARMY CORPS. 

(i) Maj.-Gen. Joseph K. F. Mansfield''' 
(2) Brig-Gen. Alpheus S. Williams 

ESCORT. 

1st Michigan Cavalry. Company L, Capt. Melvin Brewer. 

FIRST DIVISION. 

(i) Brig.-Gen. Alpheus S. Williams 

(2) Brig.-Gen. Samuel W. Crawfordf 

(3) Brig.-Gen. Georije H. Gordon 

FIRST BRIGADE. 

(i) Brig.-Gen. Samuel W. Crawford 
(2) Col. Joseph F. Knipe 



* Wounded Sept. 17th. 

t Wounded Sept. 17th. 



49 

FIRST BRIGADE. 

Ijfh Connecticut, Capt. Henry W. Daboll. 

loth Maine, Col. George L. Beal. 

28th Nczv York, Capt. Wm. H. H. Alapes. 

46th Pennsylvania, Col. Joseph F. Knipe, Lieut. Col. James L. 

Selfridge. 
124th Pennsylz'ania, Col. Joseph W. Hawley,f Maj. Isaac L. 

Haldeman. 
I2jth Pennsyk'ania, Col. Jacob Higgins. 
128th Pennsylvania, Col. Samuel Croasdale, Lieut. -Col. Wm. W. 

Hammersley, Maj. Joel B. Wanner. 

THIRD BRIGADE. 

( 1 ) Brig. -Gen. George H. Gordon. 

(2) Col. Thomas H. Ruger. 

2yth Indiana, Col. Silas Colegrove. 

2d Massachusetts, Col. George L. Andrews. 

i^th Nevj Jersey, Col. Ezra A. Carman. 

loyth Neiv York, Col. R. B. Van Valkenburgh. 

^Zouaves d'Afrique, Pennsylvania. 

SECOND DIVISION. 

Brig. -Gen. George S. Greene. 

FIRST BRIGADE. 

(i) Lieut. -Col. Hector Tyndale.* 
(2) Maj. Orrin J. Crane. 

5th Ohio, Maj. John Collins. 

yth Ohio, Maj. Orrin J. Crane, Capt. Frederick A. Seymour. 

\2(pth Ohio, Lieut. Theron S. Winship. 

66th Ohio, Lieut. -Col. Eugene Powell. 

28th Pennsylvania, Maj. Ario Perdee, Jr. 

SECOND BRIGADE. 

Col. Henry J. Stainrook. 

% Detached Sept. 13th. 

§ No officers present. Enlisted men of company attached to 2nd 
Massachusetts. 

* Mortally wounded Sept. 17th. 
t Detached Sept. 9th 
4 



50 

jrf Maryland, Lieut. -Col. Joseph M. Sudsburg. 
I02d Nczv York, Lieut. -Col. James C. Lane. 
Xiopfh Pennsylvania, Capt. George E. Seymour. 
I nth Pennsylvania, Maj. Thomas iVL Walker. 

THIRD BRIGADE. 

(i) Col. William B. Goodrich.§ 

(2) Lieut. -Col. Jonathan Austin. 

jd Delaware, Maj. Arthur ]\Iaginnis. 
Piirnell Legion, Maryland, Lieut.-Col. Benj. L. Simpson. 
60th Nezv York, Lieut.-Col. Charles R. Brundage. 
ySih Xeiv York. Lieut.-Col. Jonathan Austin, Capt. Henry R. 
Stagg. 

ARTILLERY. 

Capt. Clermont L. Best. 

Maine Light. 4t]i Battery, Capt. O'Neill W. Robinson. 
Maine Light, 6th Battery, Capt. Freeman McGilvery. 
1st Nezv York Light, Battery " M," Capt. George W. Cothran. 
Neiv York Light, loth Battery, Capt. John T. Bruen. 
PeiDisylz'ania Light, Battery " E," Capt. Joseph M. Knap. 
Pennsylvania Light, Battery " F," Capt. Robert B. Hampton. 
4th United States, Battery " F," Lieut. Edward D. Muhlenberg. 

General ^McClellan moved the headquarters of the Federal 
army to Rockville, on September 7th, and dm-ing that day and 
the one following, the roads were crowded with troops going 
forward. 

On September /ih. the movement of the army from Rockville 
was commenced in three columns, designated the right wing, 
centre and left wing. The right wing consisted of the First and 
Ninth Corps, commanded by General lUirnside ; the centre con- 
sisted of the .Second and Twelfth Corps, commanded by General 
Sumner, whilst the left wing consisted of the Sixth Corj^s and 
Couch's division of the Fourth Corps, commanded by General 
Franklin. .^\kes' divisic^n of Regulars, of the Fifth C()r])S, and 
Morrell's division of the same Corps, joinc(l the arm\- later on. 



§ Killed Sept. 17th. 

t Detached at Frederick Sept. 15th. 



51 

Not knowing the designs of the enemy, the army moved 
cautiously, as has been previously stated, the initiative being 
taken by the right wing; but as the 125th regiment was connected 
with the centre column, its march alone to Frederick City will 
be here detailed. On September 9th, we moved to Middlebrook ; 
on September loth, we marched about ten miles, and halted for 
the night in a chestnut grove, on the road leading to Mount Airy ; 
on September nth, we were halted, after marching about one 
mile, on a report that Confederate cavalry were a short distance 
ahead of us. Towards evening, we moved two miles further, 
and bivouacked in a field, near Damascus. It rained during the 
night, and we got very wet. On September 12th, we marched to 
a point near Ijamsville, where we remained during the night ; on 
September 13th, we crossed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at 
Ijamsville. and moved rapidly in the direction of Frederick City. 
Cannonading was heard quite distinctly, and when we reached 
the Monocacy smoke of battle was seen. This cannonading 
proved to be a skirmish between Federal cavalry under Pleasanton 
and the Confederate cavalry under Stuart, in the Catoctin hills, 
about three miles out of Frederick, and this skirmish General 
Pleasanton refers to in his report of operations in Maryland. We 
waded the Monocacy on the double-quick, and reached Frederick 
City at noon, where we halted in a field on its outskirts. The 
Confederates had retired from the city the previous evening. 
General Burnside says he carried the bridge over the Monocacy 
in the afternoon of September 12th, after slight resistance, and 
Cox's division at once moved upon the city and occupied it, after 
driving out a small force of the enemy. General Pleasanton says 
he entered the town by the Urbana road, at 5 o'clock on the even- 
ing of September 12th, and General Reno, about the same time, 
entered it by the New Market road. 

The citizens of Frederick were not attracted by the address 
of General Lee nor inspired by the song of " Maryland, my Mary- 
land," and soon showed us they were true to the Federal cause. 
None but sentiments of loyalty to the Union were heard, and the 
Stars and Stripes floated from every street of the town, and 
though stripped of provisions by the Confederate army, they 
tried to supply our wants, and made our brief stay with them as 
pleasant as possible. 

It is well to note here, that the roads on which we had moved 



52 

and were subsequently to move, were so blocked with the advance 
of troops and artillery wagons that the supply train could not get 
with us, and we were obliged to subsist on what w^e could secure 
from houses, fields and orchards along the route. Green corn and 
green apples constituted our principal rations from September 
loth to September 19th. 

It was not until the Federal Army reached Frederick City 
that General McClellan received reliable information of the inten- 
tions of Lee. This was disclosed to him l\v an order found in 
the camp of the 27th Indiana Regiment, and known in history as 
the famous lost order. This order, it is stated by Colonel Taylor, 
Adjutant-General of Lee's army, was sent to General D. H. Hill, 
who was in command of a division which at that time was not 
attached to either of the two wings of the Confederate Army, 
under the leadership of Stonewall Jackson and Longstreet. and 
was carelessly left by some one in Flill's camp. A copy of the 
order was also sent him by Stonewall Jackson, who regarded him 
as part of his command, and this copy he received and preserved, 
whilst the original was lost. 

As the 27th Indiana Regiment constituted part of the First 
Division of the Twelfth Army Corps, to which the 125th Penn- 
svlvania Regiment belonged, it is proper to give said order, and 
detail the circumstances of its finding. The order reads as 
follows : 

Special Orders 
No. 191. 

Headquarters, Army of Northern Virginia, 
September 9, 1862. 

The army will resume its march to-morrow, taking the Hagerstown 
road. General Jackson's command will form the advance, and, after 
passing Middletown. with such portion as he may select, take the route 
towards Sharpsburg, cross the Potomac at the most convenient point, 
and by Friday night take possession of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 
and capture such of the enemy as may be at Martinsburg, and intercept 
such as may attempt to escape from Harper's Ferry. General Long- 
street's cnnnnand will pursue the same road as far as Boonsboro. where 
ic will halt with the reserve su])ply and baggage trains of the army. 

General McLaws, with his own division and that of General R. H. 
Anderson will follow General Longstreet; on reaching Middletown. he 
will take the route to Harper's Ferry, and by Friday morning possess 
himself of the Maryland Heights, and endeavor to capture the enemy at 
Harper's Ferry and vicinity. 



53 

General Walker, with his division, after accomplishing the object in 
which he is now engaged, will cross the Potomac at Cheek's Ford, ascend 
its right bank to Lovettsville, take possession of Loudon Heights, if prac- 
ticable, by Friday morning, Keys' Ford on his left, and the road between 
the end of the mountain and the Potomac on his right. He will, as far 
as practicable, cooperate with General McLaws and General Jackson in 
intercepting the retreat of the enemy. 

General D. H. Hill's division will form the rear-guard of the army, 
pursuing the road taken by the main body. The reserve artillery, ordnance 
and supply trains, &c., will precede General Hill. 

General Stuart will detach a squadron of cavalry lo accompany the 
command of Generals Longstreet, Jackson and McLaws, and with the 
main body of the cavalry will cover the route of the army and bring 
up all stragglers that may have been left behind. 

The commands of Generals Jackson, McLaws and Walker, after accom- 
plishing the objects for which they have been detached, will join the 
main body of the army at Boonsboro' or Hagerstown. Each regiment on 
the march will habitually carry its axes in the regimental ordnance wagons, 
for use of the men at their encampments, to procure wood, &c. 

BY COMMAND OF GENERAL R. E. LEE: 

Major-General D. H. HILL, R. H. CHILTON, 

Commanding Division. Assistant Adjutant-General. 

Colonel Silas Colegrove, of the 27th Indiana Regiment, in an 
article published in the " Century Magazine " in 1886, says the 
Twelfth Corps reached Frederick about noon of September 13th, 
and his regiment stacked arms on the same ground that had been 
occupied by Hill's division the previous evening, and soon after 
halting the order was brought to him by First Sergeant John M. 
Bloss, and Private B. W. Mitchell, of Company " B," of the 
regiment, who said they found it in their camp, wrapped around 
three cigars. He at once sent it to the headqtiarters of General 
Williams, commanding the corps, and his Adjutant-General, Col- 
onel Pittman, recognized the handwriting of R. H. Chilton, who 
signed the order, and with which he was familiar, and sent it to 
General McClellan. 

This order gave General McClellan the reliable infonnation 
that he says he received on September 13th, of the intentions of 
the enemy, and the proposed capture of Harper's Ferry ; and in a 
letter written to General Franklin that evening he gave him the 
substance of the order that had been found, and told him that his 
signal officers reported to him that the Confederate General 



54 

McLaws was in Pleasant A'alley, and that the firing heard showed 
that Colonel Miles still held out at Harper's Ferry. He also says 
it was then clear to him that it was necessary to force a passage 
of the South Mountain range, and gain possession of Boonsboro 
and Rohrersville before relief could be afforded by him to Har- 
per's Ferry, or communication opened with Miles, as ordered by 
General Halleck from \\'ashington on September nth. He 
accordingly moved the right wing of the army to Middletown 
valley that afternoon, and prepared himself to move forward that 
night and the next morning with the balance of the army. 

Lee's army at that time was greatly divided, but when he 
learned on the night of September 13th that McClellan was 
rapidlv approaching the South Mountain range, he at once 
ordered back from Hagerstown two divisions of Longstreet to 
reinforce Hill, who was then holding said mountain range. 

General Cox's division, known as the Kanawha division, by 
reason of its previous assignment to the Kanawha region in West 
Virginia, and which was temporarily attached to the Ninth Corps, 
moved at six o'clock on the morning of September 14th from Mid- 
dletown to the support of the cavalry under General Pleasanton, 
who were then at the foot of South Mountain. The Catoctin 
creek flows here, and here also is the old road over the mountain 
on which General Braddock and his principal aide, George Wash- 
ington, marched in the year 1755, prior to the expedition against 
Fort DuOuesne. Cox reached Pleasanton about nine o'clock in 
the morning, and at once proceeded to ascend the mountain. His 
division was composed of six Ohio regiments, in two brigades of 
three regiments each, commanded respectively by Colonels Scam- 
mon and Crook, and one of these regiments (the 23d Ohio) had 
among its numbers two men who afterwards became Presidents 
of the United States, viz. : Rutherford B. Hayes and William 
McKinley. In the ascent of the mountain. Cox moved by the left 
of the road, known then and now as the old Sharpsburg or Brad- 
dock road, and encountering D. H. Hill's command at Fox's Gap 
brought on the battle of South Mountain. He carried and held 
the crest of the mountain at this point before the arrival of the 
balance of Burnside's command, that had gone to his assistance 
but did not reach him until after twelve o'clock noon. Hooker's 
First Corps, that had moved from the Monocacy at daylight, came 
up in the afternoon, and with the greater part of the Ninth Corps 



55 

under Reno, assaulted the enemy at Turner's Gap, one mile north 
of Fox's Gap, and b}- the country road known then and now as 
the old Hagerstown road. 

About this time, Longstreet reinforced D. H. Hill, and Gen- 
eral Franklin, who commanded the left wing of the Federal army, 
arrived at Burkitville, in rear of Crampton's Gap, six miles below 
Turner's Gap, and moving forward to the Gap encountered Cobb's 
Confederate brigade, of ^NIcLaw's division. After a three hours' 
contest, in which Cobb was assisted by Semmes and Mahone, the 
command of Franklin drove the enemy from the top of the moun- 
tain at the Gap, and descended into Pleasant \^alley, within three 
and one-half miles of Alaryland Heights ; and from here it was 
his intention to move to the relief of ]\Iiles at Harper's Ferry the 
next morning. 

The action at Turner's Gap was of longer duration and more 
stubborn, and whilst it was going on, the centre column, under 
Sumner, of which the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment was a part, 
was straining every nerve to reach the scene of action and take 
part. We were ordered to move at nine o'clock in the morning 
by the Shookstown road, and we did move at that time, but were 
halted for two hours in the streets of Frederick City to allow 
other commands to pass, and when we moved again it was to the 
Catoctin hills, among which we marched in order to screen our 
movement from the enemy. About four o'clock in the afternoon, 
whilst Hooker and Reno were making their fierce attack on Hill 
and Longstreet, at Turner's Gap, we got into open country 
and could see the South Mountain passes, hear the discharge of 
cannon and musketry, and notice that a battle was raging. We 
then moved more rapidly, and after crossing the Catoctin creek at 
uight and coming to the base of the mountain, we passed ambu- 
lances, with wounded men, going to the rear, and one containing 
the remains of General Reno, who was killed that evening. The 
fighting continued into the night, and evidences of battle multi- 
plied from the number of wounded men we passed. On, on, fur- 
ther into the night and further up the mountain, we went, and 
could hear in the distance faint strains of music, supposed by 
some of our men to come from a Confederate band. About three 
o'clock in the morning a halt was ordered in a field near the vil- 
lage of Bolivar, where the old Hagerstown road diverges to the 
right and the old Sharpsburg road to the left. Here we lay until 



56 

after daylight. This march from Frederick was the most severe 
and exhausting of any that we had thus far had. At break of 
day, of September 15th, the pickets of General Burnside made 
the discovery that the enemy had gone, and we moved forward 
to a stone wall in front, only to find a large number of wounded 
Confederates. A hasty survey of the battlefield showed that the 
engagement the previous day had been fierce, for the dead and 
wounded of both armies were thickly strewn along the roadsides 
and in the adjoining fields and woods, and it also showed that 
victory was with the Federals. 

Franklin's command, that had gone into Pleasant \'alley the 
previous evening, moved towards Maryland Heights, to relieve 
General Miles, but when it reached a point near Rohrersville 
Franklin discovered that McLaws had six brigades stretched 
across Pleasant Valley to bar his further progress, and he did not 
deem it prudent to attack. Soon thereafter news was received 
of the surrender of Harper's Ferry by Miles, and General Frank- 
lin was ordered to remain where he w^as, and watch the force in 
front of him, and protect the Federal left and rear. 

We will all recollect how indignant the army was when it 
received the news of the surrender of Harper's Ferry. We got 
a new corps commander the morning of September 15th, in the 
person of General Mansfield, and we well remember how favorably 
impressed we were with his fine fatherly appearance and with 
the deep interest he took in us. 

General Williams, who had command of the corps from the 
time of our assignment to it. now took charge of the first division 
of the corps. 

We moved this morning at ten o'clock, on the Hagerstown 
road, past trees and ground torn and ploughed by yesterday's 
battle. About eleven o'clock. General ]McClellan rode past the 
line amid deafening cheers from the men. and soon thereafter we 
met a flag of truce accompanied by a guard of Confederates in 
search of the body of General Garland, of North Carolina, who was 
killed the previous day. We reached Boonsboro about four o'clock 
in the afternoon, and learned that the Federal cavalry had a brisk 
skirmish there in the morning, in which two hundred and fifty 
Confederate prisoners were captured. Dead horses were lying 
in the streets of the town, the result partly of the skirmish in 
the morning. Here we left the Hagerstown road and moved 



57 

to the left, and halted for the night in a field near Keedysville, on 
the heels of the enemy. 

The Confederate army had taken position on the heights 
beyond the Antietam creek, and as the Federal army approached, it 
was met by a heavy artillery fire from the western bank of the 
said creek, to which TidbalTs and Pettit's batteries, of Pleasan- 
ton's command, replied, but on an examination of the position 
General McClellan determined it was too late to make an attack 
that day, and devoted his time to massing the army and placing 
batteries in position. 

On the morning of September i6th. General McClellan dis- 
covered that the enemy was still in position for battle, ^though his 
line had been changed some during the night. In his front, one 
mile east of Sharpsburg, he had the Antietam creek, which rises 
north of Hagerstown, and flows south between high steep banks, 
and empties into the Potomac three miles south of Sharpsburg. 
The ground west of said creek is irregular and undulating, first 
rising and then sloping towards the Potomac, and at that time was 
interspersed with woods or strips of timber. The Potomac near 
here makes a number of sharp bends, which afiford admirable 
protection to the flanks of an army, and Lee taking advantage of 
the irregularities in the ground and the woods for concealing his 
force, and of the curves in the Potomac and the steep banks of 
the /\ntietam for the protection of the flanks and front of his 
army, had arranged it for battle in an angle formed by the river 
and creek, the line being about three and one-half miles long. 
The arrangement thus made covered the Shepherdstown ford into 
Virginia, and the town of Sharpsburg, where he established his 
headquarters. A better and stronger defensive position naturally 
than the one selected by Lee could not be found anywhere .for an 
army, and in this strong position he made up his mind to fight 
the battle of Antietam that events had forced upon him, and 
which it is said he could not avoid without losing the prestige 
his previous engagements had won for him. 

McClellan found out, through the reconnoissances he made, 
that the centre of the Confederate army was along private roads 
and through a succession of fields extending towards the /\ntie- 
tam creek ; that its left was at the cross roads on the Hagers- 
town turnpike beyond the house of David R. Miller, with a pro- 
tection of cavalrv reaching to the Potomac at one of its sharp 




MaiorGenkkai. {".kor(;e B. McClei.lan. 



59 

bends, and that its right rested on the Snavely farm, south of 
Sharpsburg. 

A road leads from Sharpsburg to the Shepherdstown ford, 
and, being in the rear of the Confederate army, was easily kept 
open and afforded a line of retreat for the army, when retreat was 
found necessary. 

The Antietam, near where the army was located, is crossed 
by four stone bridges, the first or upper one, on the road leading 
from Keedysville to Williamsport, the second one two and one- 
half miles below, on the Keedysville and Sharpsburg turnpike, 
the third one mile below the second, on the road leading to Rohr- 
ersville, and now known as the Burnside bridge, and the fourth 
near the mouth of the Antietam creek, three miles below the third, 
on the Harper's P'erry road ; and McClellan found also, on his 
reconnoissances, that bridge number two was near his line, and 
had to be protected by him, and that bridge number three wa? 
strongly defended by the enemy. 

Stonewall Jackson, who had been at Harper's Ferry, rein- 
forced Lee about noon of September i6th, and took position on 
the left of his line of battle ; and General Walker says he also 
arrived with two brigades and reported to Lee about the same 
time, but rested until daylight the next morning, and then took 
position on the right, in support of General Toombs. 

General McClellan established his headquarters at the Pry 
house, a large brick building east of the Antietam creek, and 
says he spent the morning of September i6th " in reconnoitering 
the new position taken up by the enemy, examining the grounds, 
finding fords, clearing the approaches, and hurrying up the 
ammunition and supply trains which had been delayed by the 
rapid marches of the troops over the few practicable approaches 
from Frederick." 

During that forenoon there was an artillery duel between the 
Washington Artillery, of New Orleans, Louisiana, stationed west 
■of the Antietam creek, and Federal batteries east of said creek, 
which lasted, according to the report of Colonel Walton, of the 
Washington Artillery, forty minutes, and in which Major Arndt, 
of the First New York Artillery, was mortally wounded. 

The 125th Pennsylvania Regiment was placed in line of battle 
several times during the forenoon, and marched towards the front, 
but orders for its advance were countermanded, and at twelve 



60 

o'clock noon we were moved to a field in the rear, and ordered 
to rest on our arms. We had previously supposed, from the 
double-quick time in which we left our bivouack in the morning, 
and the hurried orders to load, that a battle was imminent. We 
were ready for the fray, but when the artillery duel, as afore- 
said, ended, we moved to the rear, and were led to believe there 
would be nothing for us to do that day, and that we would rest 
in the field where we then were during the afternoon and night, 
but in this we were partially disappointed, as we shall see a little 
later on. 

Having ascertained the position of the enemy, McClellan at 
once planned his battle, which was to attack Lee's left with the 
corps of Hooker and Mansfield, supported by Sumner and Frank- 
lin, whilst Burnside attacked his right, and when these movements 
were successful the centre was to be attacked with all the avail- 
able forces at his command. He accordingly, at two o'clock that 
afternoon, ordered Hooker to cross the Antietam at the upper 
bridge and a ford near by, with the divisions of Ricketts, Meade 
and Doubleday, and attack and endeavor to turn the enemy's 
left. Hooker made ready to move as ordered, starting at four 
o'clock in the afternoon, and cautiously feeling his way ; his lead- 
ing division, composed of the Pennsylvania Reserves under 
Meade, came upon the enemy soon after sunset in a belt of timber 
near the house of David R. Miller, known as the East Woods. 
A sharp engagement, lasting luitil dark, took place between 
Hooker and Hood's Confederate division, aided by two brigades 
of Stonewall Jackson's command, in which Colonel McNeill, of 
the Pennsylvania Bucktails, was killed. Firing ceased at night, 
and the men of both sides laid down to rest, and so near together 
were they said to be that the pickets could hear each other walk, 

A brief description of the groimd here is necessary to an 
understanding of the battle of the next day. 

To the northwest front of the east woods in which Hooker 
came upon the enemy was the house and orchard of David R. 
]Miller. The Hagerstown turnpike, extending from Hagerstown 
to Sharpsburg, runs close to said house, and in a field some dis- 
tance in front of the house there were then straw stacks. In 
rear of the house there was at that lime a small cornfield, and 
further back, with intervening ground full of irregularities, such 
as gullies, depressions and rocks, there was a woods known as 



61 

Sam Poffenberger's woods. To the right of the irregular ground, 
looking towards the Miller house, was the north woods, near 
where the left of the Confederate line rested. To the left and 
south of the house of David R. Miller was a large cornfield that 
reached from the east woods to the Hagerstown turnpike; adjoin- 
ing it on the left and south was a smaller field that was harrowed, 
and which also extended from the east woods to the Hagerstown 
turnpike, and adjoining the harrowed field on the left and south 
was a field that had been in clover but was then partly ploughed, 
and it too extended to the Hagerstown turnpike. The turnpike 
runs in front of these three fields, and beyond it was another 
belt of timber known as the west woods, which was larger than 
the east woods. Towards the southeastern edge of the west 
woods, there stood and still stands the historic Dunker church, 
a small brick building that in the past had been whitewashed and 
was first taken to be a school house. To the right of the west 
woods, in the direction of the Nicodemus farm, and near where 
the straw stacks were located, there was a small woods, to which 
no name is given. Through the east woods, and skirting the 
southeastern edge of the harrowed field a.nd the whole of the 
field partly ploughed and partly in clover, the road, known as 
the Smoketown road, runs, and terminates at the Hagerstown 
turnpike opposite the Dunker church. South of the Smoketown 
road, after it leaves the east woods, is the Mumma farm, and 
adjoining it, in the direction of the Antietam creek, is the Rou- 
lette farm. Southeast of the Dunker church, towards Sharps- 
burg, a lane, now known as the bloody lane, leaves the Hagers- 
town turnpike and connects with other lanes leading to dift'erent 
farm houses, and some distance in front of this lane, in the direc- 
tion of and near Sharpsburg, is the Piper house and farm. 

The ground of which this rough description is given was 
where the left and centre of the Confederate army was found, and 
it was destined on the morrow to be the scene of the most sanguin- 
ary single day's conflict of the Civil War. 

About the same time McClellan gave orders to General 
Hooker to take his corps across the Antietam and attack the 
enemy's left, he ordered General Sumner to have Mansfield's 
command follow Hooker during the night, and to hold his own 
corps ready to move in the morning. At ten o'clock that night 
the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment received marching orders, and 



62 

the hopes we had entertained of having a sound night's rest 
where we then lay were gone. General Sumner, who commanded 
the right wing of the army, says the command moved at 11.30 
that night. When we took up our march, the regiment followed 
the lead, in person, of the corps commander. General Mansfield. 
We were ordered not to speak above a whisper nor allow canteens 
to rattle, for the reason that we were near the enemy's line. We 
moved for three miles in a circuitous direction, crossing the 
Antietam at the same ford, near the upper bridge, where General 
Hooker had crossed in the afternoon, and halted in a ploughed 
field on the farm of George Lines, close to his house, and about 
one mile in rear of General Hooker's line. Here we lay until 
daybreak, and here we found a hospital had been established. 
where Federal wounded in the brief engagement that evening 
were brought, and where the Twelfth Corps commander breathed 
his last the next afternoon, at four o'clock. Soon after halting, 
the body of Colonel McNeill, of the Pennsylvania Bucktails, 
who had been killed in the evening, was borne past our line to 
the hospital. Shortly afterwards, comrades of the Regiment in 
going to a nearby pump to fill their canteens were stopped by 
a guard, and informed they could have no water, as it was all 
wanted for the hospital. The rest of the corps was near us, 
and Federal pickets were in our immediate front. We slept but 
litrle that night, and knew from the silence enjoined and the cir- 
cumstances that surrounded us that a battle was about to be 
fought. Thoughts of home and of dear ones left behind us 
filled our minds, but the determination to do our duty when 
called upon was not wanting. 

With the first gray streaks of morning, battle in the east 
woods began between Hooker and Stonewall Jackson, the Penn- 
sylvania Reserves (the centre of Hooker's line), opening the 
contest, which soon became general along the whole line. To the 
right of Meade's Pennsylvania Reserves, was the division of 
Doubleday, partly astride the Hagerstown turnpike, north of the 
house of David R. Miller, and on ]Meade's left was Ricketts' 
division ; and for the possession of the east woods and the large 
cornfield in front the contest was fierce and obstinate between 
Hooker and Jackson. 

The Twelfth Corps moved towards the scene of action at 
dayljreak, and the order to fall in was at once given the i2Sth 



63 

Pennsylvania Regiment. The exact time at which we moved is 
not stated, but no account makes it earlier than 5.30 or later 
than 6.00 A. M. The Sergeant-Major says that we first moved 
by the flank, and then by the front in column by company closed 
in mass. Colonel Higgins says the 125th took the lead of the 
corps in its advance. We moved as rapidly as circumstances 
would permit, through fields and strips of timber, and this 
movement appeared to be in the shape of a letter *' Z." We 
were perhaps one hour in reaching the battle-field, owing to 
numerous halts that were made. General Stuart, who was pro- 
tecting the Confederate left, shelled the column with his bat- 
teries, from the time we started until we reached the field, but 
no harm was done us. When we arrived at Sam Poffenberger 
woods, wounded men were fast coming to the rear. They 
belonged principally to the Pennsylvania Reserves, and of the 
brigade commanded by Colonel Magilton. 

It was understood that we were ordered to the relief of 
Ricketts' division, and we did finally relieve that division, but 
the first move we made on the field was more to the right. 
General Williams says the first brigade of the first division of 
the Twelfth Corps was ordered to deploy to the right, with its 
right regiment extending to the Hagerstown turnpike, and 
Gordon was to hold the centre, whilst Greene's division was 
directed to the ridge on the left. General Crawford says that 
said first brigade was on the right of the line in the movement 
to the front, and it was not until the third order came that it fully 
deployed. Colonel Higgins says, in a letter to John M. Gould, 
of the Tenth Maine Regiment, in February, 1891, that he moved 
the regiment first towards the straw stacks on the farm of David 
R. Miller, by order of General Crawford, and then back again 
into a woods. These stacks were to the right of the line of 
battle, and this order of General Williams and statement of 
Colonel Higgins will explain the zigzag movements we made 
before reaching the east woods. It is certain that we swept 
through an orchard where the artillery fire was very severe, and 
that the deployment first made in line of battle was in or close to 
the narrow strip of woods back of the east woods, known as the 
Sam Poffenbcrger Avoods. 

On the movement to the battlefield, we noticed, to the left, 
the building's on the ]\Iumma farm on fire. These were set on fire 



64 

by D. H. Hill's men, and General Ripley, in his report of the 
battle, says they were set on fire to prevent them from being used 
by the Federal army. As the Twelfth Corps approached the 
field we moved on the double-quick, owing to an urgent request 
from General Hooker to hurry to his assistance, as all his reserves 
were then employed. Hartsufif, one of his principal brigadiers, 
had been thrown into a breach to stay an advance of the enemy, 
and was wounded. Men were falling rapidly, and sad and ghastly 
were the sights that met our view, only to be multiplied after- 
wards. Jackson had received assistance from D. H. Hill's and 
Ewell's divisions, and was fighting hard to hold his ground. 
Subsequently he was reinforced by Hood's division that had been 
relieved the night before to prepare something to eat, and also 
by other commands, whilst S. D. Lee's batteries, of Stuart's 
cavalry division, further rendered him valuable assistance ; but 
at the same time Federal batteries east of the Antietam enfiladed 
his line and did him damage. General Crawford's report states 
that we moved forward from the right through woods and open 
space, and drove before us a thin line of the enemy's skirmishers, 
and that " the struggle for the skirt of woods to which the 
enemy clung and the open space and cornfields opposite and 
along the turnpike on the right was long and determined." 

The deployment of the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment at the 
Sam Pofifenberger woods, to the right of the Smoketown road, 
was in reverse order, that is the right of the regiment was where 
the left should have been, and in this order we moved towards 
tlie straw stacks, as aforesaid, and east woods, with Company 
" G " in advance, as skirmishers. When we emerged from the 
first woods we noticed a brigade re-forming at the small cornfield 
and then moving to the front. We soon came upon the line of 
the enemy that General Crawford mentions, and further on, a 
distance perhaps of two hundred and fifty yards, we were fired 
upon by a small regiment, since ascertained to be the Fifth Texas, 
and Private James Hunter, of Company " A," was killed. This 
was our first loss, and it occurred on ground not far from the 
east woods ; and we are doubtless the strong b'ederal reinforce- 
ment that Captain Ike M. Turner, of the Fifth Texas, mentions 
in his report of the battle. \\'e all recollect distinctly of this 
small regiment firing on us, and then running back into the east 
woods. The regiment still moved on, as stated bv Colonel 



65 

Higgins in his report, under a heavy fire of musketry and shot 
and shell, and then fell back a short distance, and then again 
moved forward until it got a firm lodgment in the east woods. 
In the movement from the Sam Poffenberger woods, Colonel 
Hawley, of the 124th Pennsylvania Regiment, says we passed 
his regiment at a gully in the irregular ground back of the small 
cornfield through which we went, and General Knipe says, in 
substance, that the brigade took position some distance back in 
the woods, to the front of wdiich Federal troops were engaging 
the enemy, and that the original intention was that the 124th, 
128th and 125th Pennsylvania regiments were to move first to 
the front, but this plan was not carried out. 

No sooner had the Twelfth Corps come to the east woods, 
says General Williams, than General Gibbon asked to have rein- 
forcements sent to his right, and Goodrich's brigade, of Greene's 
division, was accordingly detached and sent to the assistance of 
General Patrick. He also says that the 124th Pennsylvania was 
detached from the first brigade, and sent to the right, past the 
house of David R. Miller. It took position astride the turnpike 
in the direction of the stacks, of which previous reference has 
been made. General Williams further says that the whole corps 
was engaged as early as from 6.30 to 7 o'clock in the morning. 

Hooker had previously cleared the large cornfield of the 
enemy by heavy discharges of canister, and had pushed his 
columns on the right across the turnpike towards the west woods, 
but had been driven back before superior numbers, and Ricketts, 
of his command, met a similar fate on the left, but held position 
in the edge of the east woods, confronted by Lawton and part 
of D. H. Hill's division. 

The enemy had again taken possession of the large cornfield, 
and General Williams says, had advanced his men to the fields 
in front of the west woods along a ridge extending to the house 
of David R. Miller, and beyond, a distance not discernible. His 
supports and reinforcements were concealed in the west woods 
and in the ravines there and in their rear. The cornfield in front 
of the east woods that the enemy had taken possession of also 
concealed his men from our view. 

The general position of the Twelfth Corps was to the left 
of Hooker, and the attack it made was oblique to his line. As 
we approached the east woods, troops of General Duryea's com- 
5 



66 

mand retired, and when we got fairl}- in position, battling, which 
had previously been severe, became terrific, and for the next 
three hours a rich harvest of death was reaped on the right of 
the Federal line. We were exposed to a fire from the enemy's 
batteries on the right, and to an exceedingly heavy fire of mus- 
ketry and artillery in front, and report of the battle states that 
it was from one and one-half to two hours before the enemy was 
fully driven back to the west woods. 

The brigade commander moved the brigade to which we wcvre 
attached to the front of the east woods, in column of division, the 
46th Pennsylvania being on the right and the loth Maine on the 
left, with the 125th and 128th Pennsylvania in the rear. The 
leading regiments, 46th Pennsylvania, loth Maine and 28th New 
York, opened fire on the enemy, says the brigade commander, at 
the large cornfield, about two hundred and fifty yards in their 
front. 

The 125th was ordered to the large cornfield, and moved for- 
ward, with Compan}' " G " in its front as skirmishers, but after 
nearing the position of the three leading regiments, it was halted, 
and the 128th Pennsylvania, whom we recollect b}- the Avhite 
haversacks carried by its men and the shrill voice of its colonel, 
filed partly through our line and to its right, and moved towards 
the cornfield. It took position, on the right of the 46th Pennsyl- 
vania, and at once engaged the enemy, meeting with heavy loss. 
Its colonel was killed and lieutenant-colonel wounded, and it 
seemed to have been thrown into confusion. At this time the 
corps commander, General Mansfield, rode forward to a point 
near where they were engaged, apparently to reconnoitre or 
watch the progress of the engagement, and was mortally wounded 
by a sharpshooter. This occurred to the right front of the 125th 
Pennsylvania Regiment, about seven o'clock in the morning, and 
we will give the account of it later. 

General Williams then assumed command of the corps. Gen- 
eral Crawford of the division, and Colonel Knipe, of the 46th 
Peiuisylvania, of the brigade. 

At this time. General Crawford found Gordon's brigade, of 
the division, battling hard on the centre of the line and meeting 
with success, and Greene's division, consisting of the brigades 
of Stainrook and Tyndalc. was about to move through the 
east woods, to drive the Confederates, under General Colquitt, 



67 

therefrom. Goodrich's brigade, of said division, had been sent 
to the right, to the assistance of General Patrick, and the 124th 
Pennsylvania Regiment, of the First Brigade, had also been sent 
to the right, and was placed astride the Hagerstown turnpike. 

General Hooker notified Crawford that these woods must be 
held at all hazards, as otherwise the right of the army would be 
imperilled. Very soon after the wounding of General Mansfield, 
the 125th was moved c]uickly to the rear and right, and then 
obliquely to the left, and then further to the left front. This, 
the brigade commander, General Knipe, informed the writer, was 
done by order of General Crawford. 

Just now, and soon afterwards, the scenes of excitement and 
sadness are almost beyond description. Colonel H. Kyd Doug- 
lass, who was an aide on the staiT of Stonewall Jackson, speaks of 
the Twelfth Corps' fight, in his article in the " Century Alaga- 
zine," in the year 1886, as follows : 

" Next Mansfield entered the fight, and beat with resistless 
might on Jackson's people. The battle here grew angry and 
bloody, Starke was killed, Lawton wounded, and nearly all their 
general and field officers had fallen ; the sullen Confederate line 
again fell back, killing Mansfield, and wounding Hooker, Craw- 
ford and Hartsufl:'." 

Stonewall Jackson, in his report of the loattle, says: 
" About sunrise the Federal infantry advanced in heavy force to 
the edge of the woods on the eastern side of the turnpike, driv- 
ing in our skirmishers. Batteries were opened in front from the 
woods, with shell and canister, and our troops became exposed for 
nearly an hour to a terrific storm of shell, canister and musketry. 
With heroic spirit our lines advanced to the conflict 
and maintained their position in the face of superior numbers, with 
stubborn resolution, sometimes driving the enemy before them and 
sometimes compelled to fall back before their well-sustained and 
destructive fire. Fresh troops from time to time relieved the 
enemy's ranks, and the carnage on both sides was terrific. At 
this early hour General Starke was killed; Colonel Douglass, 
commanding Lawton's brigade, was killed; General Lawton, com- 
manding the division, and Colonel Walker, commanding the 
brigade, were severely wounded. More than one-half of the 
brigades of Lawton and Hays were either killed or wounded, 
and more than one-third of Trimble's, and all the regimental 



68 

commanders in those brigades, except two, were killed or 
wounded. Thinned in their ranks and exhausted of their ammu- 
nition, Jackson's division, and the brigades of Lawton, Hays and 
Trimble retired to the rear, and Hood, of Longstreet's command, 
again took the position from which he had been before relieved." 

The second movement of the 125th to the left front, after 
the fatal wounding of General Mansfield, brought us to the edge 
of the harrowed field south of the large cornfield. Here the 
regiment righted itself, and here we found some of the 90th 
Pennsylvania. In this movement we captured a number of 
prisoners, who had taken refuge behind rocky knolls, but now 
came forward and surrendered themselves, some with handker- 
chiefs tied on ramrods. An iron gun battery was in front, 
exchanging shots with a Confederate battery on the limestone 
ledge, to the left front of the Dunker church. This battery was 
supposed to be Ricketts', under command of Captain ?\Iatthews, 
but we are now led to believe it was Edgel's First New Hamp- 
shire Battery. Ricketts' men say their battery did not get south 
of the great cornfield. We lay on our faces behind this battery, 
as the firing here was severe. At this time, General Greene was 
moving towards the burning buildings and the rest of the cor]::)S 
was fighting to the right, and had succeeded in clearing the large 
cornfield. The next move of the regiment was by the flank to 
the left, through the harrowed field, and field partly ploughed, 
to the Smoketown road. On this move we passed many dead 
and wounded men, and previously, near the edge of the east 
woods, south of the cornfield, one of the gloves of Colonel H. B. 
Strong, of the Sixth Louisiana Regiment, was picked up and 
handed to Colonel Higgins by Adjutant Johnston. 

As we approached the Smoketown road, a brass gun battery 
came out the road and took position on rising ground in front 
of us, and this battery we were ordered to support. Company 
" B " was south of said road, and Company '* G " partly in the 
road and partly, with the rest of the regiment, in the field that 
had been in clover but had the portion of it next the Hagerstown 
turnpike ploughed. This battery that was supposed to be Battery 
" B," 4th United States Artillery, has since, through the 
Antietam Battlefield Commission, been definitely ascertained to 
be Captain Monroe's First Rhode Island Battery. 

Exceedingly severe was the enemy's fire here, especially at 



69 

mounted officers. To protect ourselves, we lay on our faces, and 
we persuaded the Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment 
to dismount, and scarcely had the latter done so when a shell tore 
away the stirrup strap of the saddle on his horse, exploded and 
disabled him, and caused the horse to run away. About the same 
time, another shell went through a horse of an orderly of General 
Williams, then bounded over the battle line and burrowed itself 
in the ground. The horse that had been hit pawed a furrow in 
the ground, and laid down and died. Here General Hooker came 
to Colonel Higgins and asked him if any troops were in the west 
woods, and the Colonel told him none but Rebels. Whilst the two 
were talking his (Hooker's) horse was hit by a ball, to which 
his attention was called, and he quickly rode away. It is possible 
that he was wounded himself at this time, for he says in his report 
that he was not aware that he had been wounded, and that he had 
to be lifted from his saddle through weakness caused by loss of 
blood ; and General Sunnier says when he arrived on the field 
by himself, a surgeon was about to dress Hooker's wound. Look- 
ing in front, musket balls were raising the dust in the same 
manner that large drops of rain ripple a smooth surface of water, 
and their sizzing and hinging about our ears was without cessa- 
tion. The Sergeant-Ma j or of the regiment mentions the case 
of a member of one of the Huntingdon County companies picking 
up a bullet that had flattened itself on a stone at his head as 
though struck with a hammer. At the fence corner, on the 
Smoketown road. Corporal John G. Christian, of Company " G," 
was wounded by a grape shot, from the effects of which he died 
three years later, and about the same time one of the artillerists 
in front had his leg severed below the knee with a solid shot. 
This battery of Captain Monroe, to the front, was silencing the 
Confederate battery on the limestone ledge near the church, and 
also paying attention to other batteries further on. The coolness 
of its commander, whilst this was going on, was remarkable. He 
talked to Captain McKeage as though a perfect calm surrounded 
us. The Sergeant-Major also mentions an amusing incident 
here, which is, that in the midst of the enemy's heavy firing, he 
heard Calvin B. Shearer, of Company " F," sing out. " Here's 
your Baltimore Clipper." Another incident that can be men- 
tioned is, that a pup belonging to the artillerists in front, becom- 
ing frightened, crept into the shirt bosom of Albert Robison, of 



«i A ^9?^ 




i. 00 

o « 



71 

Company " G," for protection. Whilst at this point, no Federal 
troops nearer than the great cornfield were on our right, and 
none whatever on our left, and men of Company " B " reported 
two mounted Confederate officers reconnoitring in the direction 
of the burning buildings. Doubtless General Greene's division of 
the corps had reached there by this time, and was about to engage 
the enemy. 

As soon as the fire of the Confederate battery near the church 
was silenced, an ofiicer, to us unknown, ordered the regiment into 
the west woods, and requested it to hold the same. To the com- 
mand, " Forward," we moved with spirit and rapidity, driving 
before us some South Carolina and Georgia troops. When we 
came to the Hagerstown turnpike, Colonel Higgins says, Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Newton, of the Sixth Georgia Regiment, was 
found in a dying condition. He asked Higgins for stimulants or 
morphine, and when told he had none, he said, " I am shot 
through. Oh, my God, I must die," and turned over and died. 

At the eastern edge of the woods the regiment halted, and 
Company " G '' was thrown forward as skirmishers. At the same 
time, Company " B " was sent to the church, a short distance to 
the left, and on reaching the same found it full of wounded Con- 
federates. An advance, following the skirmish line, was then 
made, and a halt ordered to examine the position we were in. It 
was discovered we were far to the front of the Federal line and 
without supports. Colonel Higgins then ordered his brother, 
Lieutenant Higgins, of Company "B," to take his horse and ride 
back and inform General Crawford of the situation, and also 
request him to send us assistance at once, or we would be flanked 
by the enemy, who was in force in front and on the right. The 
skirmishers were again ordered forward, and the regiment fol- 
lowed to an elevation of ground near an outcropping of rocks. 
The skirmishers continued their forward movement, to a point 
close to the western edge of the woods, near a rectangular-shaped 
field on the right, where Confederate troops had a hospital, and 
took one prisoner, a young Georgian, who seized and tried to hold 
Private Reese Williams, of Company " G," when we were after- 
wards forced to retire from the woods. The South Carolina and 
Georgia troops that we previously drove before us, sought refuge 
in a ravine in the northwestern edge of the woods and the fields 
in their rear. 



72 

From the ravine or hollowed ground on the right, the enemy 
fired on the skirmish line, and wounded Private D. R. P. John- 
ston. A large column formed in the field in its front, and 
advanced towards it, carrying their guns at a right shoulder shift. 
The line did wdiat it could to hold in check this column, as well 
as the force on the right, which was endeavoring to and did 
finally connect with the column moving towards it from the field, 
and some very narrow escapes were made here. The skirmishers 
were now recalled, as was also Company " B," near the left-rear 
of the church. The troops that the skirmish line encountered 
were of General Early's command, and of StaiTord and Grigsby, 
of Jackson's division ; and General Early, in his report, speaks 
thus of the skirmishers : " A body of the enemy, perhaps only 
skirmishers, had gotten into the woods to the left, and was firing 
upon our men, being held in check by a scattering fire." As soon 
as Companies " B '' and " G " rejoined the regiment, that had 
fallen back a short distance, it opened fire on the enemy moving 
towards us, holding him at bay and repelling four different 
assaults made upon us with strong reinforcements. \Miilst we 
were fighting here. General Sumner rode forward and asked of 
what command we were, went to our Colonel, and then rode 
rapidly back ; and Colonel Higgins says, in a few minutes. Gen- 
eral Gomian, of Sedgwick's division, of Sumner's corps, reported 
to him that his brigade was coming up, but was some distance 
back. Soon thereafter, the 34th New York Regiment, of Gor- 
man's brigade, came up on the double-quick, and took position to 
our left and rear, and at once commenced firing on the enemy, 
with us. 

It was now nine o'clock or after, and General Walker's divi- 
sion, that had moved rapidly from the Confederate right, had 
arrived at the west woods, and McLaw's division, that was twenty- 
two hours late in coming from Harper's Ferry, reached the said 
W'oods very soon thereafter, also one brigade of Anderson's 
division. 

The different commands afore-mentioned, joining their forces 
with those we had previously l)een contending, overpowered and 
compelled us to retire from the woods, with heavy loss, after a 
hard fight of one-half hour, twenty minutes of which we were 
alone, and the only assistance we at any time had was from the 
34th New York Regiment. The lines of the united commands 



73 

that drove the two regiments from the woods extended along 
their entire front and far beyond their right and left flanks, and 
in numbers said united commands were superior to them many 
times over. The Battlefield Commission say this force con- 
sisted of Kershaw's brigade of Longstreet's division, supported 
by Walker's division and Early's brigade, and that after causing 
the said two regiments to retire, it wheeled to the left, supported 
by the brigades of Semmes, Anderson and Barksdale, and part 
of Jackson's division, and struck the left flank of Sedgwick's 
division and forced it to retire. It is certain that both regiments 
held their positions in the woods as long as it was possible for 
them to do so against the overwhelming numbers hurled against 
them. The men of the 125th Regiment unwillingly retired from 
the woods, at the last moment ; and Colonel Higgins says if we 
had remained in position two minutes longer we would all have 
been lost. 

Colonel Suiter, of the 34th New York Regiment, gives this 
description of the attack made on the line of the two regiments : 

" Arriving at about twenty yards in rear of a school house 
(the Dunker church), I discovered the enemy under the hill. 
I immediately ordered my command to fire, which they did in gal- 
lant order. From some cause, to me unknown, I had become 
detached from my command, the 125th Regiment of Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers being on my right. On my left and rear I was 
entirely unsupported by infantry or artillery. The enemy was in 
strong force at this point and poured in a tremendous fire of mus- 
ketry and artillery upon me. At this time I discovered the enemy 
was making a move to flank me on the left. 

"Presently General Sedgwick arrived upon the ground. Mov- 
ing down my line, he discovered the situation of my command, and 
that the point could not be held by me, and gave the order for 
me to retire, which I did. Rallying my command, I formed them 
in line of battle, supporting a battery some four hundred yards 
in the rear of the battlefield." 

On falling back to the field partly ploughed, through which 
both regiments had previously advanced, the balance of Sedg- 
wick's division was found coming up. and we halted momentarily 
with them, but at this time artillery officers rode amongst us and 
asked us to retire behind the line of batteries that had been 
formed to repel the fierce and heavy attack the enemy were now 



74 

making. This we did. thoug'h more or less confusion reigned, 
and in this falHng back the Adjutant and Acting Ala j or of the 
regiment was mortally wounded. The regimental colors were 
placed in the rear of the battery we had previously supported and 
around them we rallied. 

Sedgwick's division was then on the right front of us. and 
appeared to have come from the direction of the large cornfield. 
The enemy kept on advancing and delivering a withering fire until 
near the batteries, and our loss in this field where the batteries 
were stationed, and through which we had fallen back, was 
heavy, as was also that of Sedgwick's division. In the west 
woods, the 34th New York, of this division, met with greater 
loss in proportion to numbers engaged than we, for the reason 
that the attack on the left was stronger than on the right and 
thev received the full force of the same, as well as the fire on 
front directed against both regiments. 

In the retreat from the said west v.'oods, the regimental colors 
of the I25tli were saved through bravery worthy of special men- 
tion. The color-sergeant, George A. Simpson, was shot and 
instantl}' killed and five of the color guard went down ; then 
Eugene Boblitz, of Company " H," rescued and carried them for 
a distance, when he was badly wounded and handed them to 
Sergeant Walter W. Greenland, of Company "C," afterwards 
Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania, from whom Captain Wallace 
received them, and carried them to the rear of the battery which 
w^e were ordered to support. Meanwhile men were falling thick 
and fast as leaves in autumn. Hospital Steward J. Fletcher Con- 
rad, before his death, stated to the writer that wdien attending 
an encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, at Columbus, 
Ohio, a few years since, he met a Confederate officer, who 
detailed the circumstances of the carrying of the regimental 
flag by Captain ^^^allace, and said that the Captain must have led a 
charmed life, as one hundred rifles were aimed at him without 
effect. 

The two regiments got behind the batteries none too soon, 
for the enem\- was then almost at the muzzles of the guns ; but 
suddenly, not only these batteries in om- front, but others to the 
right and left, commenced and continued a destructive fire which 
caused the enemy's line to sway, totter and fall back to the woods. 

Sedij'wick's line then nun-ed {(M'ward amid a heavv fire, and 



75 

we also moved towards the woods, but when we came to the bat- 
teries, or a few steps in their front, it was ascertained we belonged 
to the Twelfth Corps, and we were then ordered to retire to a 
point near the edge of the east woods. 

When Sedgwick reached the west woods they were a sheet 
of flame, and the battle appeared to redouble itself in fury, and 
he was obliged, after a fierce contest, to retire before the superior 
numbers we had previously encountered, and was wounded him- 
self in the deadly struggle. 

This advance movement of the enemy reached on the right a 
point where the second brigade of the first division of the Twelfth 
Corps had been battling, and General Crawford was .wounded in 
the thigh in rallying some troops here. On the left, it reached 
General Greene's division, of the Twelfth Corps, on the Mumma 
farm, but was repelled by that gallant officer, who subsequently 
moved to the Dunker church and obtained a lodgment in the 
woods there, which he held until near the time General Frank- 
lin's command reached the field. General Kershaw, of McLaw's 
division, claims that the west woods were not occupied after the 
125th Regiment and Sedgwick's division were driven therefrom, 
but General Greene's report shows that they were at least partly 
occupied. 

General Walker says when he approached the west woods, 
Hood and Early were struggling to hold them, and General Ran- 
som, who commanded one of the brigades of Walker's division, 
says he " immediately encountered the enemy in strong force 
flushed with a temporary success. A tremendous fire was poured 
into them, and without a halt the woods was cleared and the crest 
next the enemy occupied. At this time I determined to charge 
across a field in our front and to a woods beyond which was held 
by the enemy, but he again approached in force to within one 
hundred yards, when he was met by the same crushing fire 
which had driven him first from the position." This report of 
General Ransom, though overdrawn, corresponds more nearly 
with the recollection of the writer of the strong attack on the 
125th Pennsylvania and 34th New York Regiments, the retreat 
of the two regiments from the west woods, and the subsequent 
advance of Sedgwick's division than any Confederate report we 
have yet read. 

General Palfrev. late Colonel of the Twentieth Massachusetts 



76 

Regiment, in his book styled " The Antietam and Fredericks- 
burg," gives an account of the battle at the point we were 
engaged, and of the advance* of Sedgwick's division, that does 
injustice to the two aforementioned regiments. We called 
attention to this at our reunion on the battlefield on September 
17th, 1888, and as General Palfrey is now dead, it is sufficient to 
say here that the 125th Pennsylvania and 34th New York Regi- 
ments had been in the west woods and tried hard to hold them, 
before the main portion of Sedgwick's division reached them, 
and that these two regiments at least were in sight when he came 
upon the field, and could have been found obeying orders to fall 
behind the batteries and there rallying. In other respects, we 
believe General Palfrey's full account of the battle on the right, 
on the part of Sedgwick's division, to be generally correct, and 
we give full praise to the brave Sedgwick and the men of his 
division for what they did on that eventful day; but the official 
reports of Colonels Higgins and Suiter and of General Gorman 
will show that we were in the woods before Sedgwick's division, 
and only the heavy odds we had to contend wath compelled us to 
retire, and with their own 34th New York, we rallied behind the 
batteries that for a time drove back the enemy he subsequently 
met in the woods. 

French and Richardson's divisions, of Sumner's corps, having 
crossed the Antietam at the same ford we crossed during the 
night, reached the field soon after Sedgwick. French arrived 
first. He bore to the left of General Greene, of the Twelfth 
Corps, and engaged D. H. Hill, on the Roulette farm. Richard- 
son soon came to his assistance, and the two drove Hill from 
said farm. Flill then took position at the sunken road leading 
from the Hagerstown turnpike, now known as the bloody lane, 
and re-forming his lines awaited a further attack from French 
and Richardson, which w'as soon made. 

It was now almost noon, and General Franklin, who had left 
his encampment in Pleasant A'alley at 5.30 in the morning, made 
his appearance on the right, with the divisions of Smith and Slo- 
cum. He had for two da\s past been halting near Rohrersville, 
observing movements at Harjjer's berry, and when he marched 
for the battlefield he left behind him Couch's division to watch 
Maryland Heights. \\'hen he reached the field two of his 
brigades charged past the line we were liDlding. and moving to 



77 

the left of the Dunker church, assisted French and Richardson 
in their contest with D. H. Hill at the bloody lane. Here the 
struggle was long, determined and sanguinary, and General 
Nathan Kimball says it was three and one-half hours before 
Hill relinquished his hold on the sunken road and was forced 
back towards the Piper House. This attack on Hill caused a sus- 
pension of hostilities further to the right. 

R. H. Anderson's division, of Longstreet's command, now 
reinforced Hill, and against these two forces Richardson's and 
part of French's division fought hard for ground about the Piper 
house, which they gained but subsequently relinquished, and at 
a cornfield between the bloody lane and the Piper house Richard- 
son was mortally wounded. Near here the Confederate General 
G. B. Anderson was mortally wounded, also Generals R. H. 
Anderson and Wright. 

Soon after General Franklin came on the field, and when 
fighting was sharp and severe on the left, an artillery officer rode 
up to Colonel Higgins and said to him : " Colonel, for God's 
sake, come and save my battery. I have no supports, and my 
horses are all shot, and I cannot get my guns away." The posi- 
tion of the battery was on the left front, and the Colonel, looking 
ahead, took in the situation at a glance, and, moving the regiment 
forward on the double-quick, the enemy was driven away and the 
guns saved. A few minutes later General Franklin came to 
Colonel Higgins, asked what regiment we were, and said we had 
just got to the battery in time to save it from capture, and that our 
action was right. He ordered him to remain where he was, in 
support of batteries, and also to take charge of the 124th Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, which was in the east woods, near us, in 
command of its Major, its Colonel having been wounded. He 
also told him to say to our Brigade Commander " that General 
Franklin had ordered him and all would be right." This battery 
we thought to be Tompkins' Rhode Island Battery, but we have 
since learned, through the Antietam Battlefield Commission, it 
was the same one we had supported before entering the west 
woods, to wit : First Rhode Island, commanded by Captain 
Monroe. 

The hard fighting now and during the afternoon was trans- 
ferred to the centre and left of the line of battle, although a heavy 
artillery fire was kept up on the right that lasted until after night. 



78 

North of the Dunker clnirch, Stuart, by (Urection of Lee, 
attemj)ted a flank movement on the Federal hne, but was driven 
back by an artillery fire from thirty batteries directed upon him 
by Dotibleday ; and General Pleasanton. who had been guard- 
ing bridge Xo. i over the Antietam, crossed the same with a 
force of cavalry and light artillery, and formed a flank support 
for General Richardson on his move from the Roulette farm and 
bloody lane to the Piper house, and he subsequently repelled a 
threatened attack on Hancock, who took command of the division 
after the wounding of Richardson. A battalion of regulars from 
Sykes' division was sent to the assistance of Pleasanton. and 
afterwards four other battalions were sent across the creek to 
assist in driving off the enem}'s sharpshooters. These regulars 
made their way well up the hill where the Xational Cemetery is 
now located, and rendered valuable service. 

The attack on the left was not made at the same time it was 
on the right, which General ^IcClellan says he intended to have 
done, the difficulty in the way being the delay in carrying bridge 
No. 3 over the Antietam, now known as the Burnside bridge, 
that was strongly defended by Toombs' brigade, of Long- 
street's command, and a protection of stone fences, rifle pits and 
breastworks of rails. Two attempts to carry it had been made 
during the forenoon but had failed, and several valuable officers 
had been killed, among others being Colonel Kingsbury, of the 
iith Connecticut Regiment. It was not until one o'clock in the 
afternoon that a daring charge was made by the 51st Pennsyl- 
vania Regiment, Colonel Hartranft (afterwards Governor of 
Pennsylvania), and 51st New York Regiments, that the bridge 
was carried and the enemy driven to the heights beyond. 

This charge was made at great cost of life, and is justly cele- 
brated in history as one of the brilliant events of the war. 

Other troops followed the three regiments that stormed the 
bridge. Rodman's division and the brigade of Colonel Scammon 
crossed the creek at a ford below the bridge, under a strong fire 
of musketry and artillery, and joined the troops that crossed the 
bridge. The balance of the Ninth Corps was now pushed across 
the stream, and at three o'clock General Burnside re-formed his 
lines, and, leaving Sturgis' division in reserve, moved forward 
and encountered D. R. Jones' division, of Longstreet's com- 
manfl. and. after drivitii:- it before him from field to field, he 



79 

succeeded in reaching the outskirts of Sharpsburg ; but on mov- 
ing to the heights on the left of the town, at about four o'clock 
in the afternoon, he ran against the strong division of A. P. Hill, 
that had arrived from Harper's Ferry, having crossed the 
Antietam at bridge No. 4, near its mouth. It at once made 
a determined assault on the left of Burnside's line, which was 
firmly met, and the battle for a time waxed warm. In meeting 
this attack of Hill a gap was made between the right and left of 
the line of battle, and in moving up troops to fill the same General 
Rodman was killed and Harland's brigade driven back, but 
Scammon came to his assistance and restored the line. 

Fresh troops, however, kept reinforcing Hill's line, and some 
of the ground gained by Burnside had to be given up. It was 
now getting dusk and Sturgis' division w^ent forward to the 
support of the left of the line of battle, and after a spirited con- 
test checked the enemy and held him back. 

Xight coming on, hostilities ceased, and Antietam, the blood- 
iest single day's battle of the Civil War, was over. 

Both armies rested where they had fought. On the right, the 
Federals occupied the east woods, and the Confederates the west 
woods and great cornfield. On the left the Federals occupied 
bridge No. 3 over the Antietam and ground adjacent thereto, 
and on the centre the lines were about as they were in the morning. 
In the evening the 125th was relieved from support of bat- 
teries in front of the east woods by some of General Franklin's 
command, and moved back a short distance into the said woods, 
wdiere it passed the night. We had previously supposed it was 
Couch's division that relieved us, but inquiry develops the fact 
that none of Couch's force reached the battlefield until the next 
morning, and it was other troops of General Franklin's command 
that took the position we had been holding. 

The Federal army had suffered much from straggling in the 
campaign through which it had just gone, owing to rapid marches 
made and the failure of the supply train to keep up with it, and 
the 1 8th of September, General McClellan says, was " spent in 
collecting the dispersed, giving rest to the fatigued, removing the 
wounded, burying the dead, and the necessary preparations for a 
renewal of the battle." 

Both armies faced each other all of that day but were inactive, 
and during the implied truce that existed some of the dead of our 



80 

own regiment were bnried, and several of the wounded brought 
within the Federal lines. The body of Color-Sergeant Simpson 
was found by Private Robert Cozzens and brought within the 
lines by him, Isaiah Foster, William Friedly and one other person. 
The regiment also moved to the Sam Pofifenberger woods in the 
right rear. During the night of the i8th, the enemy retreated 
across the Potomac into Virginia by way of the Shepherdstown 
ford, and left the battlefield in possession of the Federal army. 

All who had an opportunity of seeing the field, on September 
19th, with burial parties that were detailed from dififerent com- 
mands, will bear witness to the many evidences of the desperate 
struggles made on the 17th. The great cornfield was said to 
contain a corpse for almost ever\^ hill of corn in the field. The 
fields around and in front of the house of David R. Miller, and 
beyond the Hagerstown turnpike, in the direction of the Xico- 
demus farm, and the east woods and small strip of woods north- 
west of the west woods, were covered with the dead. In the har- 
rowed field, the field partly ploughed, the west woods, and every- 
where around the Dunker church, the dead were thickly strewn 
at the close of the battle, and in places it required care to step 
without treading on a body. ]\Iingled with them were many 
dead horses and broken artillery wagons. The Alumma farm, 
the Roulette farm and the Piper farm presented similar scenes, 
and at the bloody lane the dead lay three and four deep. The 
left of the line where General Burnside fought had also its full 
proportion of dead and wounded. Sergeant-Major Becker says 
that he talked with a Confederate officer at the truce line, on the 
i8th, who told him that many of their men were placed hors dc 
combat by the sharp and effective fire of the I25tli regiment in 
the west woods. 

The deadly nature of the conflict on the 17th is best attested 
by reports of the battle made, and by histories afterwards written. 
General Hooker says in his report : 

" Tt was never my fortune to witness a more bloody, dismal battle- 
field." 

General Gordon, who commanded the second brigade, of the 
first division, of the Twelfth Corps, and who took charge of the 
division after General Crawford was wounded and left the field, 
says: 



81 

" From sunrise to sunset, the waves of battle ebbed and flowed. Men 
wrestled with each other in lines of regiments, brigades and divisions, 
while regiment, brigade and division faded away under a terrible fire, 
leaving long lines of dead to mark where stood the living. Fields of corn 
were trampled into shreds, forests were battered and scattered, huge 
limbs sent crashing to the earth, rent by shell or round shot. Grape 
and canister mingled their hissing screams in this hellish carnival, 
yet within all this and through it all the patriots of the North wrestled 
with hearts strong and were unshaken." 

General Gorman in his report mentions the man}- dead and 
wounded of the enemy he passed in the open field when moving 
his brigade to the wxst woods. William F. Fox, president of the 
Society of the Twelfth Army Corps, in his work on " Regimental 
Losses in the Civil War," says : 

"Antietam was the bloodiest battle. More men were killed in that 
one day than on any other one day of the war. There were greater 
battles with greater loss ot life, but they were not fought out on one 
day as at Antietam. At Gettysburg, Chancellorsville and Spottsylvania, 
the fighting covered three days or more ; at the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, 
Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga and Atlanta, the losses were divided 
between two days' fighting; but at Antietam, the bloody work commenced 
at sunrise, and by four o'clock that afternoon it was over." 

And Richard Meade Bache, in his " Life of General George 
Gordon Meade," when speaking of Antietam, says : 

" It was a terribly bloody day, the bloodiest single day of any in the 
annals of the Civil War, the losses on each side being between fourteen 
and fifteen thousand." 

Confederate accounts of this terrible conflict are as strong as 
the Federal accounts. We have previously given extracts from 
the report of Stonewall Jackson and from the article in the 
" Century Magazine " by Colonel H. Kyd Douglass, but in addi- 
tion thereto. General J. B. Hood, who wrote the book known as 
" Advance and Retreat," gives the part his division took in the 
battle, and, whilst we cannot agree with him in his statement of 
the overwhelming odds he had to contend with and the brilliant 
success that crowned his efforts, we think what he says of the 
severity of the engagement confirms former accounts. After 
mentioning the fact that his command had been relieved the 
6 



82 

previous evening by Lawton's, Hays' and Trimble's brigades, to 
give his men an opportunity to cook some rations for themselves, 
he says that soon after daybreak he was ordered to the relief of 
said three brigades, and that 

" Not far distant in our front were drawn up in close array heavy 
columns of Federal infantry, not less than two corps were in sight to 
oppose my small command, numbering approximately two thousand effec- 
tives. However, with the trusty Law on my right in the edge of the 
woods, and the gallant Colonel Wofford in command of the Texas 
brigade on the left, near the pike, we moved to the assault. Notwith- 
standing the overwhelming odds of over ten to one against us, we drove 
the enemy from the wood and cornfield back upon his reserves, and 
forced him to abandon his guns upon our left. This most deadly conflict 
raged till our last round of ammunition was expended. The first Texas 
regiment had lost in the cornfield full two-thirds of its number ; and 
whole ranks of brave men, whose deeds were unrecorded save in the 
hearts of loved ones at home, were mowed down in heaps to the right 
and left. Never before was I so continuously troubled with fear that my 
horse would further injure some wounded soldier lying helpless on the 
ground .... Upon the arrival of McLaws' division, we marched 
to the rear, renewed our supply of ammunition and returned to our 
position in the woods, near the church, which ground we held until a 
late hour in the afternoon, when w^e moved somewhat further to the right 
and bivouacked for the night. With the close of this bloody day ceased 
the hardest fought battle of the war." 

General Longstreet, in his book, bearing the title, " From 
Tvlanassas to Appomattox," says : 

" The field lying along the Antietam and including in its scope the little 
town of Sharpsburg was destined to pass into history as the scene of the 
bloodiest single day's fighting of the war, and that 17th of September 
was to become memora1)le as the day of greatest carnage in the cam- 
paign between the nortli and the south." 

Longstreet also says in an article he wrote for the "' Century 
Magazine " in the year 1885 • 

" We were so badly crushed at the close of the day 10,000 fresh 
troops could have come in and taken Lee's army and everything it had, 
but McClellan did not know it, and feared when Burnside was pressed 
back that Sharpsburg was a Confederate victory, and that he would have 
to retire." 



83 

General McClellan estimated the Confederate force opposed 
to him at 97,445, and fixes his own force at 87,164. Lee esti- 
mated his strength at 37,000, but Longstreet says that on Sep- 
tember 9th, the Confederate army, then at Frederick, numbered 
61,000, and he thinks Lee had at Antietam 41,000 men. Other 
accounts make his force actually engaged very nearly equal to that 
of AlcClellan. It is conceded that the brunt of the battle on 
the Federal side was borne by 60.000 men, and that the command 
of Couch, and the division of Humphreys and the division of 
Morrell, of Fitz John Porter's corps, were not at all engaged; 
also that part of Sykes' division was but slightly engaged, and 
not all of Franklin's corps. On the Confederate side, Lee had 
his entire force in the battle, says Longstreet, except two brigades 
of A. P. Hill's division. 

The Federal losses in the battle, by official report, were 2,108 
killed, 9,549 wounded, and 753 missing, making an aggregate of 
12,410. The Confederate losses have to be estimated for the 
reason that they are given as a whole during the Maryland 
campaign. Longstreet figures their losses in battle during that 
campaign at 13,687, and says the greater portion of them were sus- 
tained at Antietam. General McClellan's report states that 2,700 
Confederate dead were counted and buried on the battlefield. 
The "Century Magazine" estimates the Confederate loss at 11.- 
172, as follows, to wit: 1,512 killed, 7,816 wounded, and 1,844 
missing, and says that the great majority of the missing were 
killed. This estimate, added to the Federal statement, makes a total 
battle loss of 23.582. But few prisoners were taken, and nearly 
all the losses were in killed and wounded. Other accounts of 
Confederate losses vary, but none* make it less than the " Century 
Magazine," and it is safe to say their estimate is a very conserva- 
tive one. 

General Longstreet, in contrasting Antietam with Gettysburg, 
says 2,108 Federals were killed at Antietam in one day, as against 
3,070 at Gettysburg in three days, and that the Confederates had 
a loss at Antietam close to 12,000, whilst their killed and wounded 
in the three days' fight at Gettysburg numl)ered 15,298. Of the 
troops that Hooker and the troops of the Twelfth Corps (of which 
the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment was a part) and Sedgwdck 
encountered, Early's division alone, assisted by Armistead's 
brigade, reports a loss of 1.336 in the battle. Hood's division 



84 

reports a loss in the jNIarylancl campaign, snstained principall}' at 
Antietam, of 963; Walker's division a loss of 1,012; McLaw's 
division a loss of 952"-^-; Jackson's division a loss of 1,276; Evans' 
brigade a loss of 309; Rodes' brigade a loss of 479; Ripley's 
brigade a loss of 347, and Colquitt's brigade a loss of 264. The 
First Corps (Hooker's) lost 2,590 men, the Twelfth Corps, 1,746 
men, and Sedgwick's division, 2,210 men, according to official 
reports. 

General McClellan gives the strength of the Twelfth Corps 
at 10,126, but reports show this to be a mistake, and it is believed 
the corps did not take into action more than 8,000 men. General 
Greene says his three brigades had a total effective force of 2,504. 
General Gordon's strength was 2,210, and best accounts agree 
that Crawford's brigade did not have over 3.000 men in line. One 
regiment of the brigade (Fifth Connecticut) was left behind at 
Frederick City. Reckoning 2,300 as the strength of the three 
new regiments (124th, 128th and 125th Pennsylvania), would 
leave 700 for the loth Maine, 28th New York and 46th Pennsyl- 
vania, which we believe fully covers the force they had engaged. 
The loth Maine was the largest of the three old regiments of the 
brigade, and it is certain that the 28th New York numbered less 
than 100 men. 

General Williams says the losses of the corps (1,746) equalled 
twenty-five per cent, of the numbers engaged. This would make 
an effective force of 7,000, but 7,500, or 8,000 at the furthest, is 
thought to be more nearly correct. It was composed of five 
brigades, in two divisions, and was the smallest corps in the army , 
and its losses, in proportion to its strength, equalled the losses 
of Hooker's First Corps, composed of three divisions, that fought 
on the right of the Federal line, and to whose assistance we 
came on the morning of the battle. General Gorman says he had 
an effective force of 2,000, and, reckoning the strength of each 
of the other two brigades of Sedgwick's division at the same fig- 
ures, the losses of that division exceeded the losses in the Twelfth 
Corps by about fifteen per cent. The total loss on the Federal 
right was 6,546, not including any in Franklin's command. Its 
loss amounted to 439, and part is said to have been sustained on 



* Kershaw's brigade alone reports a loss of 355 at Antietam. This 
brigade, tlie 34tli New York and iJ5th Pennsylvania contended witli. 



85 

the right. The total Confederate loss on this part of the field 
was 5,602, according to reports and estimates. 

The 125th Pennsylvania Regiment moved to the front so early 
and so hastily on the morning of the 17th that it did not have roll- 
call, and the number of men it took into the engagement cannot 
be definitely ascertained. It had, by actual count, at organiza- 
tion, nine hundred and fourteen officers and men. We had a few 
desertions, and left behind us at Washington about sixty sick and 
disabled persons. We had perhaps as many more non-combatants 
and persons on detached service, such as musicians, teamsters, 
wagon guard, hospital attendants, and attaches of the commis- 
sary and quartermaster departments. We had also many foot- 
sore and weary comrades who dropped out of line, owing to the 
severity of the marches we made, and taking all these matters 
into consideration, it is doubtful if we left our bivouac on the 
Lines farm with a full seven hundred men. At one of the brief 
halts we made before reaching the battlefield, Orderly Sergeant 
David E. McCahan counted sixty-five officers and men in line in 
Company " G," and as it was one of the large companies of the 
regiment, it is believed that very few, if any, of the other nine 
companies had any more men with them, and that seven hundred 
is a liberal estimate of the number of men we had with us on the 
morning of the engagement. Colonel Higgins, at our reunions in 
1888 and 1891, also thought we did not exceed and doubted if 
we had seven hundred men when we went into battle. Out of 
this number, we had fifty-four killed and mortally wounded, and 
ninety-one severely wounded, as follows : 

Killed and mortally wounded : 

Adjutant and Acting Major Robert M. Johnston. 

COMPANY "A" 

Corporals Amon G. Edwards and Andrew Woomer. Privates 
Austin Crissman, George Funk, James Hunter, Erastus Kinsel, 
Daniel Shaw and Theawalt Wolf. 

COMPANY " B " 

Privates Levi M. Ewing and John A. Teats. 



86 

COMPANY "C" 

Color-Sergeant George A. Simpson. Corporal Benj. F. Wil- 
liams. Privates Nicholas Decker, Uriah D. Hoffman, David 
Kuhn and John S. McCoy. 

COMPANY " D " 

Sergeant John A. Kelley. Privates Francis Bowen, John A. 
Brown, Emanuel Burley, John E. Davis, Isaac ]\Iarkley, Joseph 
S. McLaughlin and John Rose. 

COMPANY "E" 

Privates Franklin S. Baker. Adam Burge and John Lier. 

COMPANY " F " 

Privates Benj. Cunningham. Joseph McCracken and William 
C. Walker. 

COMPANY " G " 
Corporal James H. Gibboney. Privates James Long and 
James D. Riddle. 

COMPANY "H" 
Corporals Peter Carton and James H. Dierfield. Privates 
Samuel Hess, Joseph W. Hoover, John S. McCarthy and Michael 
O'Donnell. 

COMPANY " T " 
Sergeant Alfred McAllister. Corporal Edward H. Wirt. 
Privates Thomas H. Clark, William W. Corbin, Samuel B. Harkin, 
William M. Hays, G. W. Householder and Joseph Snyder. 

COMPANY "K" 

Privates A. H. Boartman, Joshua Cratin, Louis AIcDermitt, 
Michael McDermitt, William Myers and Fred. C. Ward. 

Severely wounded : 

COMPANY " A " 

Lieutenant W. F. Martin, arm. Privates John Coy, groin: 
Oiarles Huff, groin; John W. isenberg, leg; George Vaughn, leg. 

COMPANY •' B " 

Privates David R. Donnelly, leg ; George McGonigal, thigh ; 



87 



Tohn E. :Mock, both thighs, very serious; ^lilton Powell, hand; 
A. J. Simms, back; Benj. F. Wolfkill, head. 

COMPANY " C " 

Corporal J. Randolph Simpson, right lung. Privates M B. 
Brenneman, thigh ; Henry Hawn, ankle ; Joshua R.Knode, ankle ; 
Tohn R. Lefford, neck; Alfred McPherran. thigh; Charles H. 
Reed, back; J. Easton Robb. ankle and arm; George Sprankle, 
foot ; Elias A. Zeek. arm. 

COMPANY "D" 
Captain C. R. Hostetter, groin. Lieutenant Peter S- Treese. 
arm and leg. Sergeant E. L. Russ, stomach. Corporal William 
b" le face and it^ck. Privates Stephen Aiken face and neck; 
W. B. Blake, thigh; Levi Burley, ankle; Patrick Haney, wnst 
Joseph Robertson, hip; John Rollin, thigh; John Walton, back, 
Harvey Williamson, hand. 

COMPANY "E" 
Corporals Peter Stroup, leg; Wm. McGinnis, ear_ Privates 
Jesse L Benton, arm; John Dunlap, hip and thigh; David Har- 

klerode, hip. 

COMPANY " F " 

Captain William H. Simpson, shoulder. L-utenant William 
C Wagner, hip. Privates Charles Bryan, wrist ; David R. Short- 
hUl si Wilham R. Strickler, thigh; Elias H. Switzer, breast 

and hand. 

COMPANY " G " 

Sergeant David E. McCahan, leg. Corporal Jolm G Chris- 
tian, head. Privates Albert Beamer, arm; Thomas Charles^leg. 
James M. Holler, hip; James Johnston, ^ead and breast_ D R. P. 
Johnston, shoulder; James Morrow, arm; Joseph G- Pnce leg 
John E. Prounkard, hand ; Joseph H. Reed, lungs ; John Sanders, 
ami; H. Bascom Sharer, shoulder blade. 

COMPANY " H " 

Sergeant John W. Lytle, leg. Privates Eugene Boblitz, leg; 
Cvnis Brindle. shoulder; George B.rkholder, thigh ; Va^n.n 
C'rouse, hip; John W. Decker, breast; Levi Decker, arm and 



88 

shoulder; John Keifer, arm; John B. IMorrison, back; Daniel 
Shawley, hand ; James Snyder, leg. 

COMPANY "I" 

Lieutenant George Thomas, hip. Sergeant Thomas L. Hall, 
arm. Privates Alfred F. Baker, hand ; Conrad Garlach, hand ; 
Albert Hall, shoulder; Benj. Jamison, thigh; William ]\Iartin, 
arm ; Solomon Mick, thigh ; Frederick Miller, leg ; Theodore 
Roupe, leg ; John Seebeck, leg ; Isaiah Shaffer, thigh and breast. 

COMPANY " K " 

Corporal John Comorford, shoulder. Privates John S. Beals, 
arm ; William Beals, thigh ; Simon Bender, shoulder ; Charles Dil- 
lon, shoulder ; Fred. Hoffman, side and hand ; George W. Jones, 
thigh ; P. F. Kearney, thigh ; Samuel McCleary, head ; Hiram 
McGuire, thigh; .A^braham Rhodes, shoulder; Robert Smith, head. 

There were eight}--four others slightly wounded who were 
not obliged to leave the regiment, and for that reason their names 
were not reported, prominent among them being Lieutenant- 
Colonel Szink, who was disabled by the explosion of a shell. Of 
the other eighty-three slightly wounded, twelve were reported 
from Company " A," ten from Company " B," five from Company 
" C," eleven from Company " D," nine from company " E," thir- 
teen from Company " F," seven from Company " G," six from 
Company " H," four from Company " I,'' and six from Com- 
pany " K." 

Principal losses were sustained in the west woods and the 
field partly ploughed, through which we advanced and were after- 
wards driven back. 

By regiment, the loss in killed and severely wounded was 
the heaviest of any in the brigade, the third heaviest of any in 
the division, and the fourth heaviest of any in the corps ; and in 
losses sustained by the Federal army, in the battle, we stand, by 
regiment. No. 23, with the 14th Connecticut. 

Thirteen of the dead of the regiment are reported to be buried 
in the .\ntietam National Cemetery, all in the Pennsylvania sec- 
tion, to wit : 

Color-Sergeant, George A. Simpson, grave No. 3953 ; Cor- 
poral, Andrew Woomer, grave No. 3669; Corporal, James H. Gib- 



89 

boney, grave No. 3664 ; Corporal, Peter Carton, grave No. 3746 ; 
Private James H. Dierfield, grave No. 3610; Corporal, Edward H. 
Wirt, grave No. 3972 ; Private, John A. Teats, grave No. 4043 ; 
Private, Joseph S. McLaughlin, grave No. 3823 ; Private, John 
Lier, grave No. 3634; Private, Samuel Hess, grave No. 3609; 
Private, Thomas H. Clark, grave No. 3784; Private, Joseph 
McCracken, grave No. 3608, and Private, Fred. C. Ward, grave 
No. 3749. 

In this report there is a mistake as to Corporals Andrew 
Woomer and James H. Gibboney, for the writer recollects of 
their remains having been taken to their homes for burial. 

The balance of the dead of the regiment were buried at their 
homes or in other cemeteries. 

Connected with the Twelfth Army Corps were five new regi- 
ments, viz.: 13th New Jersey, 107th New York, and 124th, 125th 
and 128th Pennsylvania, and the corps commander. General Wil- 
liams, says of them, in his report of the battle, that " The new 
regiments, both officers and men of which behaved with marked 
coolness, soon got into line of battle, with more promptitude than 
could have been expected." 

Division Commander, General Crawford, makes special men- 
tion of the Pennsylvania regiments, in his report, by saying, 
" The new regiments from Pennsylvania moved with great 
promptness and with the coolness of old troops, although they 
had not before been under fire. . . . The 125th Pennsyl- 
vania, Colonel Higgins, in the general movement, had pushed on 
into the woods beyond our lines, and had become seriously 
engaged with the enemy while much exposed, but returned in good 
order, with great loss, to our lines . . . but it is my duty to 
call the special attention of the corps commander to the bearing 
and conduct of the new regiments that had so recently joined the 
command. Their services in the field were most valuable, and 
considering the fact that they were for the first time under fire, 
their conduct merits the warmest commendation." 

Colonel Knipe, of the 46th Pennsylvania, who commanded the 
brigade after the fatal wounding of the corps commander, says 
in his report, when mentioning the movement of the 125th Regi- 
ment to the west woods, that he was lying on the ground to avoid 
the artillery fire of the enemy, and " while in this position, I 
noticed the 125th Pennsylvania Volunteers had advanced into the 



90 

field l)eyond our position, and into the woods occupied b\' the 
enemy. At the same time a brigade came out of them to our rear, 
and, passing- us, joined the 125th. and engaged the enemy, who 
had been reinforced to such an extent as to compel our troops to 
retrace their steps." 

Our Colonel's report is as follows : 

Report of Colonel Jacob Higgins, One hundred and twenty-fifth Penn- 
sylvania Infantry, of the battle of Antietam. 

Headquarters One hundred and twenty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Camp near Sandy Hook, Aid., September 22, 1862. 
Sir: 

I have the honor to report to you the part taken by my regiment 
in the action near Sharpsburg on the 17th of September, 1862. I was 
ordered by General Crawford to advance in close column, at daylight, 
through some fields to a piece of woods where there was heavy firing 
at that time going on. I was then ordered into the woods and then back 
again by General Crawford, then to throw out skirmishers and again 
advance through the woods until I reached the other side of the 
timber, and then deploy in line of battle and advance through the 
fields and there halt. At this place my command was exposed to a most 
terrific fire of musketry, shot and shell. I then fell back a few rods, by 
order of General Crawford, where I remained some minutes, and was 
again ordered forward to the crest of a hill, which I was to hold. At 
this time some colonel, whose name I do not know, told me that his 
troops were falling back for want of ammunition, and asked me to 
advance to his support. I immediately reported this to General Craw- 
ford, who ordered me to advance at once. I gave the command and my 
men started forward with a yell, driving the enemy before them and 
gaining possession of the woods. Here I took some prisoners, whom I 
sent to the rear. Again I was ordered to advance and halt in line with 
a battery. Before reaching the battery, though, I took a number of 
prisoners, some of whom came running back with white handkerchiefs 
tied on the guns and gave themselves up. At the battery I gave the 
command for my men to lie down while awaiting further orders. 
About this time the fire of the enemy slackened somewhat, only some 
shots from their sharpshooters being fired, and these at mounted officers 
and the artillery horses. Previous to this General Mansfield fell, some 
of my men carrying him oflf the field on their muskets until a blanket was 
procured. General Hooker here came up to me and inquired if any 
troops were in the woods in front. I replied, " None but rebels," and 
that my command was in the front. While talking to me, his horse was 
shot by some of the enemy's sharpshooters. I remarked to him that 
his horse was shot. He replied " I see," turned and went away. 
In a short time I received an order to advance into the woods. I gave the 



91 

order, " Forward," my regiment advancing in splendid style, and driving 
some South Carolina and Georgia troops back into the woods. I halted 
at the edge of the woods, and ordered Captain McKeage, of Company 
G, to deploy his company as skirmishers. This done, I again advanced 
a short distance in the woods, and halted again to examine the enemy's 
position. I found him in force in my front and on my right. On looking 
around I discovered myself without support either in my rear or right, 
and, being the only inounted officer present, I gave my horse to Lieutenant 
Higgins, and instructed him to ride back to the general, inform him of 
my situation, and ask him to send me support immediately, or I would be 
unable to hold my position, and that the enemy would certainly flank me 
and cut me off. my command being at this time in advance of the whole 
corps. 

I now ordered Captain McKeage to advance cautiously with his skir- 
mishers, and, at the same time, the regiment to advance to the crest of a 
small hill. My skirmishers soon became engaged with the enemy, who 
were advancing on my front in force. They continued to advance, when I 
ordered my skirmishers to rally, and gave the command to commence 
firing. A most destructive fire caused the enemy to halt. I held him here 
for some time, until I discovered two regiments of them moving around 
my right, while a brigade charged on my front. On looking around and 
finding no support in sight, I was compelled to retire. Had I remained in 
my position two minutes longer I would have lost my whole command. 
I fell back to the rear of the first batteries, when an artillery officer 
Tode up to me, saying that his battery was on the left front and entirely 
unsupported, and asking me if I would support him. I replied in the 
affirmative, and marched my command to the battery and took my position. 

General Franklin now rode up, and inquiring what regiment this was, 
I replied the one hundred and twenty-fifth Pennsylvania, when he said 
my position was right and he was glad I was there, and ordered me to 
remain there, which I did. I stayed here until, the one hundred and 
twenty-fourth Pennsylvania coming up. under command of its major, 
General Franklin ordered me to form it in my rear and take command 
of both regiments. 

My adjutant, R. M. Johnston, who acted as major in the absence of 
Major Lawrence, who had been in the Georgetown Hospital for some 
-time, fell mortally wounded. His conduct on the field during the whole 
action as most gallant. All my officers and men behaved in splendid 
style, particularly Captain McKeage and his company, who acted as 
skirmishers during the engagement. 

I am, sir, very respectfully, 

Your most obedient servant, 
Jacob Higgins. 

Colonel Commanding the 125th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. 

Colonel J. F. Knipe, 

Forty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Commanding ist Brigade, ist 
Division Banks' A. C. 



92 

At regimental reunions on the battlefield in 1888 and 1891, we 
found a place marked in the east woods by John M. Gould, late 
Adjutant of the loth Maine Regiment, as the spot where the 
Twelfth Corps Commander, General Mansfield, was mortally 
wounded, and we also called attention to his account of the 
wounding of General Mansfield in his history of the ist, loth 
and 29th Maine Regiments. The place he marked is more than 
one hundred and forty yards to the left rear of the location 
pointed out, when on the field in 1888 and 1891, and which we 
are satisfied is the true location, and part of the circumstances 
connected with the wounding as given in said history are wrong. 
We were afterwards informed that Major Gould admitted he 
was wrong in fixing the location of the wounding of the Corps 
Commander too far to the rear, but to the surprise of the writer, 
on visiting the battlefield, on September 15th, 1900, he found 
the state of Connecticut had recently erected a monument to the 
memory of General Mansfield on the eastern side of the Smoke- 
town road, and on one side of the monument is inscribed the fol- 
lowing words : " The spot wdiere General Mansfield fell is a few 
yards easterly from this monument." This fixes the place of the 
wounding near if not exactly at the spot marked by Gould, and 
it is more than one hundred and forty }ards to the left rear of 
what we feel satisfied is the true location, as previously stated. 
The writer w^as also informed that Major Gould had delivered 
the principal address at the dedication of the monument, and that 
he made affidavit that the spot he marked was where Genera] 
Mansfield was wounded. 

To place ourselves right before the public, we say there are 
yet surviving members of the 125th Regiment of Pennsylvania 
Volunteers who w'itnessed the wounding of General Mansfield, 
and who command the respect of the community in which they 
reside, and whose oaths are entitled to as much weight and con- 
sideration as the oath of Major Gould, that can and will, if neces- 
sary, make affidavit that General Mansfield w^as mortally wounded 
at least one hundred and forty yards to the right front of the 
monument recently erected to his memory by the state of Con- 
necticut on the Antietam battlefield, and when wounded was 
first assisted by men of the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment; and 
that the impartial reader can have both sides of the story of the 
said wounding, we give Major Gould's account, as taken from 



93 

liis history, and then what reports show and others say, also the 
statement we give. 

Gould's history says : 

" The Confederate force in our front showed no colors. They appeared 
to be somewhat detached from and in advance of the main rebel line, 
and were about where the left of General Duryea's brigade might be sup- 
posed to have retreated. To General Mansfield we appeared to be firing 
into Duryea's troops ; therefore he beckoned us to cease firing, and as this 
was the very last thing we proposed to do, the few who saw him did not 
understand what his motions meant, and so no attention was paid to 
him. He now rode down the hill from the 128th Pennsylvania, and passing 
quickly through H, A, K, E, I, G and D, of the loth Maine, ordered them 
to cease firing. He halted in front of C, at the earnest remonstrance 
of Captain Jordan and Sergeant Burnham, who asked him to see the 
gray coats of the enemy, and pointed out particular men who were then 
aiming their rifles at us and at him. The general was convinced, and 
remarked : " Yes, yes, you are right," and was almost instantly hit. He 
turned and attempted to put his horse over the rails, but the animal 
had also been severely wounded and could not get over. Thereupon, the 
General dismounted, and a gust of wind blowing open his coat, we saw 
that he was wounded in the body. Sergeant Joe Merritt, Storer Knight 
and I took the General to the rear, assisted for a while by a negro cook 
from Hooker's corps. We put the General into an ambulance in the woods 
in front of which we had deployed, and noticed that General Gordon was 
just at that moment putting the 107th New York in their front." 

Major Gottld also says that the uniform of the enemy in their 
front was of a greenish color, which led General Mansfield to 
believe it was our own men they were firing into, and he speaks 
somewhere in history or correspondence of a pair of bars in a 
fence near by. 

Colonel Higgins, after mentioning, in his report of the battle, 
the movement of the 125th Regiment to the battery on the Smoke- 
town road that we supported before advancing to the west woods, 
says, " Previotis to this. General ^Mansfield fell, some of my men 
carrying him oiT the field on their muskets until a blanket was 
procured." 

Reports show and it is generally admitted that the principal 
force of the enemy that the first brigade of the first division of the 
Twelfth Corps had to contend with after they entered the east 
woods was either very near or at the great cornfield, and Major 
Gould, in his pamphlet on " General Mansfield at Antietam," says 
a few men onlv of the enemy were east of the Smoketown road, 



94 

and yet this is the location at which he says [Mansfield was 
wounded. We all know that as the regiment approached the 
east woods, the enemy appeared to retreat, first firing a volley 
that killed Hunter, of Company " A," and we also know that the 
corps commander was not wounded until after the 128th Penn- 
sylvania regiment had hecome engaged at or near the cornfield. 
General Knipe, brigade commander, says the brigade took position 
" in rear of the woods, the other side of which our troops were 
engaged," and the 46th Pennsylvania, 28th New York and loth 
Maine Regiments opened fire separately on the enemy at the 
cornfield in front of the brigade, and the 46th Pennsylvania was 
on the right and the loth Alaine on the left. The location of the 
28th New York, which had but sixty men engaged, is not given. 
Knipe also says the three regiments were the first of the brigade 
that were engaged, and the 128th Pennsylvania came up and took 
position to the right of the 46th. Lieutenant-Colonel Selfridge, 
of the 46th Pennsylvania, says the enemy were in the cornfield 
fronting the woods, and his regiment advanced to the edge of 
the cornfield, and Colonel Croasdale. of the 128th Pennsylvania, 
was killed as soon as he arrived on the field, and thereafter these 
two regiments and others drove the enemy out of the cornfield. 
Major Wanner, of the 128th Pennsylvania, says the enemy were 
concealed in the cornfield about sixty or seventy yards distant, 
and after the death of Croasdale the regiment charged into the 
cornfield. General Crawford, division commander, says Colonel 
Croasdale. of the 128th Pennsylvania, was killed in the struggle 
for the cornfield. ^lajor Gould also says, in his history, that 
Mansfield rode down from the 128th Pennsylvania before reach- 
ing their line, and was wounded at " C " Company, of the loth 
Maine Regiment. 

All these reports made soon after the l)attlc show that the 
enemy the dift'erent regiments had at that time to contend with 
were at the cornfield or in close proximity to the same, and as 
the cornfield was two hundred or more yards in front of the spot 
marked 1\v Major (H)uld, it is difficult to see, with the protection 
of fence and tim])er, how an enemy at that distance could see to 
pick off an officer, or how greenish colored uniforms could be 
distinguished. 

The writer recollects distinctly that the I25tli Pennsylvania 
was first ordered to the assistance of the three old regiments of 



95 

the brigade that were engaged close to the cornfield, and after 
moving forward, west of the Smoketown road, to a point near 
their lines, with Company " G " in advance, as skirmishers, it 
was halted, and then the 128th Pennsylvania, with their white 
haversacks, filed to the right and partly through our line, and 
took position a short distance from the great cornfield, and at 
once commenced firing at the enemy ; and the statement we now 
make is that soon after the 128th Pennsylvania passed to our right 
front and whilst we were on a halt west of the Smoketown road, 
there appeared to be confusion at the front, and then General 
Mansfield rode forward, to reconnoitre, and very soon came back, 
and not far from the right front of the 125th Regiment, it was 
noticed that his body bent forward on the saddle of his horse 
and his head appeared to drop on his breast. Then Captain Gard- 
ner, of Company " K," near the right of the regiment (as we 
were at this time in reverse order), ordered Sergeant John Kehoe 
and Private Samuel Edmundson, of said company, to go to the 
assistance of the General, and as they did so, Lieutenant Ziegler 
says, Private E. S. Rudy, of Company "H," joined them, also 
two other men. not of the 125th Regiment. One of them took 
hold of the bridle reins of his horse, whilst two others re- 
moved him from the horse, and all then reversed their mus- 
kets, placed him on the same, carried him to a tree a few 
steps to the rear, where a surgeon appeared, and where he was 
delivered to a second party, believed to be of the loth Maine 
Regiment, who carried him still further to the rear in a blanket. 
They then resumed their places in the ranks, and the regiment 
moved to the rear and then quickly to the left front, where we 
came to the iron gun battery that was firing at the Confederate 
battery on the limestone ledge to the left front of the Dunker 
church where the Maryland monument now stands, and we saw 
nothing further of the General. A few of the 90th Pennsylvania 
Regiment were near the iron gun battery when we came to it, 
and Colonel Sellers, of that regiment, says they were the last of 
Hooker's men to leave the east woods. 

The loth Maine were no doubt battling near the point where 
General Mansfield was wounded, and we admit he was wounded 
near them, and we detract nothing from their record as a regi- 
ment or the good work they did on the 17th day of September, 
1862. but we sav again, that the General was wounded west of 



96 

the Smoketown road and much further to the right front than 
the spot marked by Major Gould, and the men of the 125th Penn- 
sylvania were the first to come to his assistance after he was 
wounded. The writer is positive that he spoke to two men of 
the loth Maine on our halt west of the Smoketown road, and 
further to the front than the Gould marker, who said they were 
engaged at our right front close to the cornfield, and furthermore 
he was on the battlefield on May 29th, 1897, with General Knipe, 
who commanded the first brigade, first division, Twelfth Corps, 
and who said without hesitation, after looking at the spot marked 
by Major Gould, that it was much too far to the left rear. He 
pointed out the stone fence over which the 46th Pennsylvania 
climbed to cross the Smoketown road when they moved to the 
cornfield, also the mound where Colonel Croasdale was killed, 
and then remarked, " Out there, I think, in front of the mound, 
Mansfield was killed." 

Captain T. J- Hamilton, late of the 28th Pennsylvania Regi- 
ment, who was on the battlefield in October, 1894, to assist in 
marking the lines of battle, says he was detached from his regi- 
ment for a few minutes at the time General Mansfield was 
wounded, and was an eye-witness to the wounding, and that he 
saw a sergeant and two privates remove him from his horse, carry 
him a short distance to the rear, place him underneath a tree, and 
leave him in charge of a surgeon, but he did not know at that 
time what regiment the men belonged to. This statement corre- 
sponds with the statement of Sergeant Caho, Captain Gardner, 
Lieutenant Dunegan, Lieutenant Ziegler, and others of the 125th 
Regiment. He also marked the point where he believed ]\ransfield 
was wounded, to the left of the location we give, but practically on 
a line with it, and not far distant, and also west of the Smoketown 
road. Major H. A. Shenton, late of the 128th Pennsylvania Regi- 
ment, was also on the field at the same time Captain Hamilton 
was there, and he thought, whilst the location we fix may not be 
exact, it was not far wrong, and was satisfied the General was 
wounded west of the Smoketown road, near the cornfield where 
their regiment was engaged. Daniel Mumma, now deceased, 
who was the proprietor of a livery stable in Sharpsburg in 1888 
and 1891, and who was with us on the field in said years, informed 
us that the location we fixed was about the same that the surgeon 
who ministered t(^ the (General after he was wounded pointed 



97 

out to him a few days after the battle. John Banner, one of the 
old citizens of Sharpsburg, who was there at the time of the battle, 
and who is acquainted with the Antietam field, and three other 
persons also acquainted with the field, were with the writer on said 
field, on September 15th, 1900, and all agreed that the place where 
we say General Mansfield was wounded is practically the same 
that the majority of the people living on or near the battlefield at 
the time the battle was fought had pointed out to them bv par- 
ticipants soon after the engagement, and by visitors since then, 
and it was generally believed to be the true location. Mr. Benner 
also said that the pair of bars Major Gould has spoken of were at 
the great cornfield and not near his marker. 

David R. Miller and a few others pointed out a location that 
was far out of tlie way, and any one with a knowledge of the 
positions of the Twelfth Corps could detect their error readily; 
and the report that the citizens of Sharpsburg agreed on the loca- 
tion pointed out by David R. ^Miller, on investigation made, proved 
to be a mistake. Alexander Davis, who now resides on the field, 
says the General was wounded west of the Smoketown road. 

Colonel Higgins' report of the battle was made five days after 
it took place, when all facts were fresh in his memory and the 
memory of others, and when he said in his report. " previous to 
this General Mansfield fell, some of my men carrying him off 
the field on their muskets until a blanket was procured," the 
truth of the same was known, and can yet be testified to, as also 
the fact that the wounding occurred west of the Smoketown road 
and near the great cornfield. Colonel Higgins never at any time 
doubted his report, or thought he was deceived or imposed, upon, 
but at all our reunions substantiated the facts as reported by him. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Fillebrown, who made the report of the 
doings of the loth Maine Regiment in the battle, does not even 
mention the wounding of General Mansfield, and that so import- 
ant a matter as this should be omitted from his report confirms 
the truth of our position. We, however, will dwell no further 
on this subject, having given the 125th Pennsylvania's side of 
the story, and we close this statement by reiterating that official 
reports show that the portions of the brigade that became engaged 
soon after entering the east woods did their fighting at and near 
the great cornfield, where Colonel Croasdale, of the r28th Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, was killed. To this point General Mansfield 
7 



98 

had gone, as stated in Major Gould's history, and of which our 
memory also serves us, and here he was wounded ; and when the 
Major fixes the location of the wounding of the General at the 
spot he has selected and marked, he makes it too far from the 
Croasdale mound for an officer mortally wounded to ride, and in 
the selection of this spot he does injustice to his own brave loth 
Maine Regiment, by locating it too far from the front and at a 
place where few of the enemy were when the brigade first entered 
the east woods. 

Confederate accounts either claim Antietam as a victory for 
their side, or say it was a drawn battle, but it was neither, for their 
army retreated across tl-re Potomac and left the field in the pos- 
session of the Federals, who can justly claim it a triumph of their 
arms, as they did Gettysburg, the following year. Had it been 
a Confederate victory or a drawn battle, Lee would have pressed 
any advantage he believed he had secured, by resuming hostilities, 
or at least have awaited an attack from McClellan, and not 
retreated across the Potomac and left the battlefield with its many 
unburied dead in possession of his adversary. He did neither, and 
General Longstreet's book, " From Alanassas to Appomattox," 
to which we have previously alluded, shows conclusively that he 
was in no position to renew the battle or wait long for an attack 
from McClellan. The issues involved at Gettysburg were greater 
than at Antietam, but there the two armies stood facing each 
other for a whole day after the close of the battle the same as at 
Antietam. Lee, however, was utilizing this time in making 
preparations for retreat. 

At the close of Antietam, Lee al^andoned his intention of 
destroying the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and of invading 
Pennsylvania and burning the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over 
the Susquehanna river at Rockville, and then turning his attention 
to Philadelphia, r)altimore and Washington. 

The battle also had the effect of awakening and renewing 
confidence at the North in the ultimate success of the Federal 
arms, and of stimulating recruitin.g ; and it proved the death- 
knell of slavery, for President Lincoln immediately issued his 
Fmancipation Proclamation that gave freedom to four millions of 
slaves in the South, in fulfillment of the vow ])reviouslv made 
by him. 

Much acrimonx- has been cxhibitcHl and criticism induliicd 



99 

against General AlcClellan for the manner in which Antietam 
was fought, and for not renewing- the battle on the i8th of Sep- 
tember, but it is not the place of the writer to take part in the 
same, further than to say other generals had to meet similar 
criticism. 

We now end the account we give of the battle by quoting a 
song composed for the regiment by a blind man, by the name of 
Gailey, who was related to some of the members of Company 
" D." In addition to being blind, the man was uneducated, and 
allowance must be made for what may not be grammatical and 
for incorrect measures. It is to be sung to the air of the " Red, 
White and Blue." and is as follows: 

How brave are the Union's defenders, 
Their deeds fill our hearts with delight, 
Pennsylvanians never surrender, 
But conquer or die in the fight. 
Shinking not from danger in action, 
McClellan's command they obey, 
Hurling death through the traitorous faction, 
On the banks of Antietam that day. 

On the seventeenth day of September, 
For battle they all did prepare. 
And taught traitors then to remember 
Our boys from the county of Blair. 
They stood where the cannon did rattle, 
And made Stonewall Jackson give way. 
New laurels they won in the battle. 
On the banks of Antietam that day. 

To conquer, our heroes intended, 

Be the rebel force ever so large. 

The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth acted splendid. 

Like veterans they marched to the charge. 

Tho' fresh from their homes, they were steady. 

Colonel Higgins directed their way. 

And the battle raged furious and bloody, 

On the banks of Antietam that day. 

Their campaign in Maryland is ended. 
Many thousands were lost in that game. 
" Little Mac " is the man just intended 
Those rebellious spirits to tame. 



100 

Huzza for the troops that can save us, 
Now marching in battle array, 
Who conquered the hordes of Jeff. Davis 
On the banks of Antietam that daj'. 

Three cheers for Colonel Higgins and then 
Three more for Lieutenant Colonel Szink, 
And three times three for their gallant men 
And a health to them all we '11 drink. 
Till the star spangled flag of the nation, 
O'er all Rebeldom they display. 
May all heroes be found at their station. 
As were ours at Antietam that dav. 




> / 



''Antietam to Chancellorsville" 

By 

HON. J. D. HICKS, 

Company K., 125th Regiment, P. V. 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS 

led them to volunteer as private, m the '^f "';' ;° f . ^^^ ^f this 

were many whose talents fitted them ^^^f ^^^/^^ ^y^^^^^^ Hon. 
class none served his country more ^^^ °^f /^.^[\^?, he studied law, 
J. D. Hicks, of Altoona, Pa.; on his return to c vU h e 

ias admitted to the bar, -^^"^-'^^1^ Ilare: ' an doquent 

the legal profession, but ^1-' ^ f ^/°^^ ^"cong es ional district, in 
public speaker. His fellow cttjze of jhat Cong Washington, D. C. 

recognition of his P^^-.^--;" /'^ f ' J^^ th sessions of Congress. 
as their Representative m the 53a, 54tn aiiu oo ^^^ ^^ ^ 

101 



-ANTIETAM TO CHANCELLORSVILLE" 

¥ 
By HON. J. D. HICKS. 

CHAPTER I. 

Antietam Field — Burying the Dead — The Hospital at Sharpsburg^ 
Camping at Harper's Ferry — " Old John Brown " — Camps on Maryland 
and Loudon Heights — Letters from Home — Resolutions of Respect for 
our Dead Comrades — Sickness and Death — Detached Duty-^Standing off 
the Sutler — Crackers containing Live Meat — The fine camp in Loudon 
Valley — Night Excursions — Hunting Guerrillas, etc. 

The Friday morning of the 19th of September, the second day 
after the Battle of Antietam, dawned with the sim in a cloud of 
mist, and a heavy fog hung over the entire valley of the Potomac 
as far as the eye could reach. Every man in the Union army 
expected the battle of Wednesday to be renewed. We peered 
through the gray fog in the direction where we knew the enemy's 
line of battle had been, but failed to note any movement or see any 
moving figures. No order being given for an advance, we soon 
learned, ere the fog had lifted, that our enemy had abandoned 
the field, and had in the silent watches of the night retreated 
across the Potomac and was again on the south bank of that 
historic river. This left us an opportunity to investigate and 
view the scene of the great battle. Evidences of the severity 
of the contest were plainly visible in all directions. Dead Con- 
federates and dead horses marked our pathway from the Lines 
farm to the Dunker church ; broken caissons, swords, belts, limbs 
of trees, pieces of harness and clothing were in all directions, and 
bore mute testimony to the severe struggle that had taken place. 
Our own dead had been partly gathered the day before under the 
flag of truce asked for by the enemy, to care for their wounded, — 
but for the real purpose of gathering themselves together and 
securing their retreat. We soon familiarized ourselves with the 
scenes in which we had so actively participated. The west and 
east woods, the Lines, the Miller and the Poffenberger farms, the 
Smoketowa-i road, the Hagerstown pike, the cornfield in which so 

103 



104 

many Confederates lost their lives, and in which the Pennsylvania 
Reserves had so gallantly distinguished themselves, the place 
where Alansfield fell, the Dunker church. Roulette's barn, and the 
Bloody Lane, all were in turn visited. Before, however, being 
permitted to do this a detail was made to bury the Confederate 
dead, and for some reason unexplained to us, we were kept lying 
under arms in line of battle in the open field opposite the Dunker 
church, until the sun shone warmly, when the veteran and gray- 
haired General Sumner came riding along, and noticing our posi- 
tion, inquired who was in command of the brigade. No one 
immediately responding, he personally gave the command of 
" Attention ! " and then directed Colonel Higgins to remove his 
men to the shadow of the woods in the rear, and there to stack 
arms and rest. For this we were truly grateful as the sun was 
by this time — probably 9.30 o'clock — quite hot, and the putrid 
air of the battlefield caused by the burning of the dead horses was 
at times stifling and almost unbearable. As before said, after 
this, we were allowed the liberty of looking over the field, and 
this the entire regiment proceeded to do, except a detail of about 
one hundred men that had been made to help bury the dead and 
gather the debris of the battle. In our investigation of the field at 
the Dunker church we clearly saw that our Regiment had the 
honor of penetrating to the farthest point in the Confederate 
lines, and as a fact had divided their army, and had our position 
been supported, and held, that part of the Confederate forces west 
of the Dunker church would have been cut off and compelled to 
surrender. The Confederate dead in the south edge of the woods 
proved the destructiveness of our fire, when the flanking move- 
ment was in progress, that compelled us to leave the church and 
retire back of the batteries. It was probably three o'clock when 
our detail was called in, and we were placed in marching order 
and moved across the field and down the pike to Sharpsburg. 
As we passed over the field and beyond the bloody lane, and the 
smoking ruins of Mumma's barn, where so many lives had been 
lost, we noticed the long trenches in which lay the Confederate 
dead. Scores and scores of tihem had been gathered ready for 
burial, with no covering but their own clothes, and a stray blanket 
or two over them, and the burial details were then commencing 
to throw the dirt over their bodies that soon forever hid them from 
human eyes. They were all young men, indeed the most of them 



105 

were boys like ourselves, and attested their bravery by the sur- 
render of their lives. How bravely they had stood the repeated 
charges of our army, and the thought possessed us that many 
homes in the far-away South, and in our own beloved Northland, 
were to-day in mourning for the dear boys, who had laid down 
their lives in battle. Before we had been ordered to march, the 
missing men of our own regiment were eagerly searched for and 
every possible effort made to find them, and while doing this we 
noticed that surgeons where the wounded had been gathered for 
treatment, from the near-by towns in Maryland and also from 
Pennsylvania, were already on the field assisting the regular sur- 
geons and hospital stewards, and were doing all that earnest men 
could do to relieve the wounded and sufl^ering. Those that would 
bear moving were removed as rapidly as transportation could 
be secured. As we passed through Sharpsburg we saw our 
wounded enemies by the scores ; in fact the whole town was a 
hospital. Poor fellows ! The fight was all knocked out of them, and 
in our pity for them we forgave them for their brave efforts to 
turn the battle in their favor. The sufferings endured were awful 
to behold, and as it was hard to realize that scenes, so ghastly, 
so bloody, so fearful, and so many dead, dying and wounded, 
were real, we turned from the views presented, with horror. It 
seems impossible that men could be so inhuman to each other, 
yet this was war — and was necessary to preserve our country. 

We passed the Burnside Bridge where the battle had raged 
in the afternoon, and where one of Pennsylvania's favored sons, 
the gallant Colonel Hartranft, and his brave men had faced the 
leaden storm, and crossing Antietam Creek took the opposite 
high hills, on the extreme left of our line of battle. Here too 
were plainly seen evidences of bloody work, but they did not 
equal the destructive sights in and about the Dunker church and 
the bloody lane. When we passed beyond the evidences of the 
strife we seemed to breathe the new air and take on new life. We 
seemed to renew and repossess ourselves of our old-time enthus- 
iasm and hopefulness, and freely discussed the glorious victory 
we had helped to achieve. 

At a small place called Rohrersville, some few miles from 
Harper's Ferry, we halted for the night, and having no tents with 
us, we made ourselves as comfortable as possible around rail and 
loe fires, and cooked coft'ee and ate hardtack and bacon. Next 



106 

morning' we leisurely proceeded down the Potomac river towards 
Harper's Ferry, and went into camp in Pleasant Valley at the 
foot of Maryland Heights, where we lay until September 23d. 
During- this time we were permitted to view the ruins of Harper's 
Ferry — first we saw the camp of General Aliles, that he had so 
disgracefully surrendered to the Confederate army a few days 
before the battle of Antietam, with his force of over eleven thou- 
sand men. It seemed to us like gross inefficiency, if not a traitor's 
work, to occupy the low and untenable land known as Bolivar 
Heights when such strong defensive positions as the Maryland 
and the Loudon Heights were within reach. Perhaps we are too 
severe in our criticism, as we were only private soldiers discussing 
the work of the generals ; and we regret that General Miles did 
not live to vindicate his conduct (if he could have done so). Our 
blood boiled as we looked at Maryland Heights and at the same 
time noticed where the camp of our army had been on Bolivar 
Heights, where all that possil)ly could be done was to await 
capture, after Maryland and Loudon Heights w^ere in possession 
of the enemy. We are not alone in our view of the disgraceful 
surrender at Harper's Ferr}', as Lossing, in his " Cyclopaedia of 
American History," has this to say of it: 

'■ When the post was threatened, Halleck instructed IMcClellan to 
succor the garrison, and on the day of the struggle at Turner's Gap 
(battle of South Mountain) he ordered Miles to hold out to the last 
extremity. Meanwhile Jackson, by quick movements had crossed the 
Potomac at Williamsport, and at noon, on Sept. 13, he was in the rear of 
Harper's Ferry. Tlie Confederates were then in possession of Loudon 
Heights and also of Maryland Heights, which commanded Harper's 
Ferry. '1 hat post was completely invested on the 14th. Miles was told 
by McClellan to " hold on," and also informed how he might safely 
escape. But he appeared to pay no attention to intructions. and to make 
no effort at defence; and when, early on the 15th, no less than nine 
batteries opened upon the garrison, he displayed a white flag. Before it 
was seen by the Confederates, one of their shots had killed him. The 
post was surrendered, with all its troops, ordnance, anununition, and 
stores. There were 11.583 men — half of them New Yorkers — surrendered; 
and the spoils were Jt, cannon, 13,000 small arms, 200 wagons, and a 
large quantity of tents and camp c(iuipage. It was shown that Miles 
had disobeyed orders to make measures for tlie defence of the post, 
and he was strongly suspected of sympatliy with the Confederate cause." 

We looked, of course, at the ruins of the Arsenal where old 



108 

John Brown, a few years before, had fooHshly attempted the then 
impossible work of freeing the slaves, and had roused old Virginia 
from centre to circumference, and paid for his mad effort and 
rash work by the forfeit of his life ; and we remember singing 
with zest a couplet from the old song : 

"John Brown took Harper's Ferry, 
With his nineteen men so true, 
He woke up old Virginia, 
He shook her through and through. 
They hung him for a traitor, 
But they were traitors too, 
His soul goes marching on." 

Harper's Ferry is a truly historic spot and deserves more than 
a passing notice. It is beautifully situated at the confluence of 
the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, high hills and beautiful val- 
leys reaching far southward and w-estward meet and please the 
eye. Looking eastward, there is presented to view a beautiful gap 
in the mountain and a far-reaching valley beyond. On one's right 
hand is the Loudon Mountain, in Virginia, with high and beauti- 
fully sloping sides to the westward, clothed in wooded verdure 
until it reaches a summit of grandeur and beauty. Several hun- 
dred feet above on the left rise the abrupt and rocky cliff's 
and towering heights of the Blue Ridge, in Maryland, on the top 
of which is a wooded range of fine chestnut and oak trees, with 
here and there a field capable of high cultivation, dotted with 
peach and other fruit trees. From these heights, there i\ows a 
beautiful brook of bright and sparkling water that comes rippling 
down over the rocks, adding brilliancy and beauty to the scene. 
At your back, as you look westward, or if you turn about and face 
to the south and west, is the beautiful Shenandoah river and 
valley stretching as far as the eye can reach from the foot of the 
Loudon Mountain. The town itself is on a level spot at the 
juncture of the two rivers, and immediately back of the town are 
gently sloping hills, rising to the plateau known as Bolivar 
Heights. Westward is the historic and rapid Potomac, flowing at 
the foot of the Blue Ridge, pleasant and beautiful to behold, it 
winds between the cliffs and hills over a rocky bottom. 

As far as the eye can reach in the direction of Williamsport, 
Martinsbm-g, etc., fine farms meet the eye. These beautiful vallevs 



109 

were garden spots of the country, rich in agricultural resources 
and supplies, and though partially devastated were yet in these 
September and October days charming to behold. Poor old John 
Brown ! What must have been his thoughts of the future when 
he selected this supposed strategic and important point for the 
commencement of the end of the great struggle for the " consum- 
mation of human liberty!" A few dilapidated and unpainted 
houses and destroyed bridges, and here and there a poor and 
squalid native were all that was left to attest the former prosperity 
of this once important place. The railroad was destroyed, but the 
beautiful outlet of the river and mountain gap still remained, as 
a feast to the eye ; and as far as the scene could reach eastward 
in the direction of Washington there was unveiled to view a 
garden of beauty, and the scene was such that no artist can ever 
properly portray on canvas. Such were our thoughts and such 
were the scenes as we loitered and lingered in and around Pleasant 
Valley and old Harper's Ferry and the Loudon Mountains. 
Rickety pontoons had taken the place of the former substantial 
bridges, and the Government soon commenced the work of replac- 
ing them with bridges of iron, that fire would not destroy. The 
work progressed very slowly, and we believe was not finished until 
after the war had closed. On September 23d, we were moved 
up on Maryland Heights and camped there until about the 28th. 
While on the Heights our baggage came up, and we again got 
our tents, blankets, overcoats and knapsacks, and with these came 
letters from home. Nearly every man received a letter and many 
more than one. Oh, how we pitied the poor fellows who got 
none, for they seemed to have no friends. We realized when these 
letters were read, what a great battle we had come through, and 
how our dear friends at home, especially our parents, had suffered 
when reading the news of it. How delighted they were that we 
had come through safely. Then we had to gather up the trinkets, 
the property of the boys who were among the dead and wounded, 
and send them home. This was indeed a sad task, and with 
these went letters telling how and when and where they were 
wounded, and how and when and where they died. If these letters 
could now be produced what a story they could tell. More than 
one hundred homes in Blair, Huntingdon and Cambria Counties 
could furnish witnesses of the valor and devotion to country of 
the boys of the 125th Regiment by the surrender of lives and 



IIU 
serious wounds received, of husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. 

Their valor shall not be forgot, 
While fame her record keeps. 

The letters sent to these dear friends of dead and wounded com- 
rades brought beautiful and touching- answers, and are a j^art of 
the never-to-be-forgotten unwritten history of the war, that will 
live by tradition in the hearts and minds of the patriotic people of 
this great nation, their children and their children's children, and 
wall aid forever in the preservation of their liberties. Several of 
the companies held meetings on Maryland Heights and appointed 
committees to draft resolutions to send to the friends of deceased 
comrades who had lost their lives in the battle. We have been 
unable to obtain any of these resolutions, except those adopted 
by Company " K," that were kindl}- furnished the writer hereof 
by Mrs. Hattie W^ard Few. of Altoona, the sister of Fred. C. 
Ward, of Company " I\," who was mortally wounded during the 
engagement, and lingered until the following day. The resolu- 
tions are as follows : 



A TRIBUTE OF KESPFXT. 

Camp on Maryland lieiglns. 

At a meeting of Company K, 125th Regiment. Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, held Oct. i6th, 1862, the following preamble and resolutions were 
adopted. 

Whereas, the Company has learned, with deep regret, of the decease 
of our late comrades, Fred. C. W^ard, Joshua Cratin. L. C. McDermitt. 
Michael McDermitt and A. H. Boartman from wounds received in action 
at the late battle of Antietam, Sept. 17th, 1862. while nobly and bravely 
performing their duty as Citizen Soldiers, 

Be it therefore, Resolved, That although we lament their loss as 
friends and soldiers, we feel proud to record, that they met their fate 
manfully and honorably while confronting the enemies of our now 
unhappy coimtry, and we would jiray for strength in future to enudate 
their example. 

Resolved, that the Company tender their heartfelt condolence to the 
families and relatives of our late Comrades in their heavy affliction. 

Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the 
families of the deceased and also to the Altoona Mechanics TJbrary and 
R. R. Association, of which Fred C. Ward was a member. 



Ill 

Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to the Altoona 
Tribune and Democrat and Sentinel, with the request to publish the same. 

By order : 

Sergeant J. H. Bryan 
Corporal W. J. Bradley 
Corporal G. W. Russell 
Private W. Strong 
Private J. D. Hicks 
Private F. P. Tearney, Secretary. 
CoDniiittee. 



We were only a short time on Maryland Heights, when we 
were again moved to Pleasant Valley and soon again back to the 
Heights, and were subsequently moved two or three times to 
different localities on the Heights, apparently with the view of 
keeping us busy fixing up, and probably to keep us in healthy 
condition. While on the Heights, Company " K " lost one of its 
members, Leonard Moebus, of Altoona. Leonard had participated 
in the battle of Antietam, but had not been well after that. He 
managed to keep along with the regiment, and when in camp on 
Maryland Heights he went out one morning qtiite early, as was 
supposed, to wash at the creek that flowed near our camp, and 
while there he was seized with a fainting spell and fell in the 
creek face downward, and before help reached him he was dead. 
\\'hile in Pleasant Valley, the boys of Company " B " i7iade a 
cornstalk palace, that for originality of design and beauty of archi- 
tecture we do not think could be surpassed. Comrade Harry Carls 
claimed to be the architect and principal builder. It was a sure- 
enough house, and was rain proof. Carls' claim for credit for 
the house was disputed by Sergeants Gerst, Sholler and Allcnder. 
They claimed a share in the work, and all were fitll of regrets 
when thev had to move away from it. AA'hen in and arotmd Pleas- 
ant Valley, and on the Heights, many of the regiment became 
sorely afflicted with chronic diarrhcea, and several of the comrades 
during the fall sickened and died. Charles A. Stoner, James W. 
Conrey and Andrew Finney of Company " D," George M. Loudon 
and Leonard Moelnis of Company "K," of Altoona ; L. H. Bressler 
and Samuel Henshey, of Company " A " ; George H. Africa, G. 
W. r)renneman, E. C. Dunmire, Henry Hood and Albert Knode, 
of Company " C " ; Jacob Straithoof and Johnson Straithoof, of 



112 

Company " B " ; Abraham Troxell,- Company " R" ; William 
Friedley, of Company "H"; William H. Birge and Benjamin 
David, of Company " I/' and Joseph H. Piper, of Company " G," 
were of those who died either in camp there or at hospital, while 
Captain Gardner, of Company " K " ; Britton E. Cluck and Jacob 
Beattie, of the same company, and many others, were seriously 
ill, and suffered from the effects of the illness there contracted 
during the remainder of their lives. Indeed, the soldiers who 
were attacked with this miserable disease, the most of them at 
least, never fully recovered from the effects it produced. 

One of the unpleasant incidents connected with our camp in 
Pleasant Valley and on Maryland Heights was the miserable 
condition on several occasions of the supplies received from our 
quartermaster, the most disagreeable of which was a lot of 
wormy crackers. While, of course, we enjoyed crackers and meat, 
we preferred to draw them separately and not have the meat 
cased up in crackers in the shape of live worms. Our quarter- 
master. Major W. C. Bayley, while in no way responsible for the 
unsavory condition of these supplies, became for a time very 
unpopular, and was hooted at whenever he appeared in regimental 
quarters. This treatment of our quartermaster was unjust to him, 
as the condition, as before said, of the supplies was not in any 
way chargeable to any neglect on his part, and we soon thereafter 
learned that the Major raised a great racket at headquarters 
about these same supplies. This condition of things lasted about 
two weeks, and when the rations came again in good shape the 
boys freely forgave the Major for an oft'ense of which he was 
never guilty. Indeed, we can safely say that no regiment in the 
brigade had a more earnest and faithful quartermaster than was 
the quartermaster of the 125th, and during our entire term of 
service we never had cause of complaint of any of the supplies 
being served us, excepting the crackers that contained live meat, 
and these came from the commissariat of the army, and for their 
condition the quartermaster was not accountable. The bacon, 
coffee, sugar, vegetable-soup compound, fresh meat and fresh 
bread that were served us from time to time were most excellent 
in quality, and as pure and good as could be expected. During 
the time we were receiving the bad crackers our sutler, Mr. John 
Clingerman (he being a cripple) did quite a thriving business, and 
those of the boys who had no money established a line of credit 



113 

with the sutler, who was deservedly one of the most popular men 
with us. We have never carefully inquired whether all the sutler 
bills made on that occasion were entirely liquidated, for fear that 
some old scores existing- against possibly the writer hereof might 
by chance be resurrected. 

About October 30th we were moved across the Potomac river, 
around the end of Loudon ^Mountain, and camped in a beautiful 
open valley, on the eastern slope of the mountain (the Loudon 
Heights, as sometimes called), on the sacred soil of old Mrginia, 
with a beautiful view of the valley of the Potomac. Here we laid 
out a fine camp and especially comfortable quarters, and remained 
until ordered to reinforce Burnside in his efforts to capture Fred- 
ericksburg, in December. Whilst in camp at this place we became 
well-disciplined soldiers, and were attached to General Kane's 
Brigade, of the Twelfth Corps, and soon got acquainted with that 
gallant little man. General Kane, and his gentlemanly staff officers, 
one of whom was Captain John P. Green, his assistant adjutant- 
general, who afterwards became vice-president of the Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad Company. Captain Green, like the General, was 
deservedly popular with the entire brigade. These officers, with 
our regimental and company officers, took great interest in our 
duties, and soon, by constant drill and the discharge of picket 
guard, and other duties, we became proficient. General Kane pro- 
nounced us on more than one occasion the " flower of the army,"' 
and his chief desire seemed to be an opportunity to prove the 
kind of material we were made of. Indeed, the General was as 
proud of his men as an enthusiastic mother would be of her baby, 
and never lost an occasion to express his delight and approval of 
our efficiency when opportunity offered. Our brigade at this time 
consisted of the following regiments, to wit : 20th Connecticut, 
123d Xew York, and 124th and 125th Pennsylvania. Several 
times while we lay at this camp there were rumors of guerrilla 
molestation and our pickets were annoyed. We were taken out 
in the night time to repel what seemed to be raids. General Kane 
would generally accompany us on these night excursions. At 
times we would travel several miles, but generally got back to 
camp by morning. On some of the trips captures of suspected 
persons were made, but we never learned the result of the cap- 
tures. Our regiment suff'ered no loss on any of the excursions, 
but we learned that several Ohio men were shot or captured on 



114 

ditlerent occasions. Deserters from Stonewall Jackson's comniand 
at Winchester occasionally came to our picket line and surren- 
dered. We had many visitors to our camp in Loudon A'alley, 
some of them from home, and among them was ]\Irs. Higgins, the 
wife of our Colonel, who was a welcome guest and had kind and 
encouraging words for all of us. Companies " D " and " C " were 
for a time on detached service at Sandy Hook and Berlin, and part 
of Company " K " was detailed to help build a suspension bridge 
over the Shenandoah river to Harper's Ferry. All were kept busy 
at various employments and duties, until the order came, about 
December loth, to break camp and move to the front, to help 
crush the Confederate army. This we proceeded to do with 
reluctance, for our camp, as before said, was a most pleasant and 
delightful one. and we had been consoling ourselves with the 
thought that we would perhaps be allowed to winter here. We 
will ever look back with most pleasant recollections of the camps 
in and around Harper's Ferry, and especially the one in Loudon 
Valley, for it was the most pleasant, restful and charming one of 
our soldier life. 



CHAPTER II. 

The Gloomy Winter of '62 and "63— Breaking Camp at Loudon Heights 
—Passing Bull Run Battletield— The Beautiful Plains of Chantilly— 
Capture of Fairfax Station by Stuart's Cavalry— Our Attempted Capture 
of Stuart— Experience of Wolf Run Shoals— Fighting a New Enemy— 
"The Genuine Grayback "—Helping the Mule Teams— Picket Duty- 
Night Alarms— The Effect of Sweet Music— Resignation of General Burn- 
side— A New Commander, " Fighting Joe Hooker "—Sickness in Camp— 
etc. 



The winter of 1862-63 will be remembered by those whose 
memories recall the incidents of that gloomy time as being the 
most trying and saddening of the war; especially was this so 
after the disastrous repulse of the portion of the xA.rmy of the 
Potomac under General Burnside at Fredericksburg. Much had 
been expected by the country of General IMcClellan, perhaps too 
much, after Antietam. 

His continued fault-tinding with the President and his failure 
to overtake and punish Lee's army before it fell back across the 
Blue Ridge, were the subjects of severe criticism on the part of 
the newspapers and discouraged his most ardent and enthusiastic 
admirers in the army. All this finall> led to his being superseded 
by General Burnside. The army, however, never lost its love 
for '' Little Mac," as the soldiers proudly called him, and as an 
organizer and a general who took most excellent care of his men 
General McClellan will ever stand among the foremost. 

The army received the appointment of General Burnside 
kindlv. l)elieving it to be for the best, and whilst all recognized 
that possibly the new commander was not as able or as experienced 
as General ^IcClellan, he was patriotic and earnest in his desire to 
defeat the Confederate army and bring the war to a successful 
conclusion. About the time the forward movement was being 
planned to capture Fredericksburg, and its commencement daily 
looked for. the 125th Regiment, that had spent a pleasant fall 
and early winter in their camp in Loudon Valley and near Harper's 
Ferry, was ordered, with the other portion of the brigade and 
division, to move nearer to the scene of conflict, and at the end of 
a week or thereabouts of marching in rather pleasant weather the 

115 



116 

regiment reached Old Dumfries, when \ve learned of the first 
disaster at Fredericksburg. Soon thereafter, when the famous 
" stuck in the mud campaign " disastrously ended, a part of the 
regiment was detailed to bring up the corps ammunition train, 
which was scattered along the road from Old Dumfries to Stafford 
Court House, most of the wagons being fast in the mud. This 
proved to be a hard as well as perilous task, for the roads were 
simply awful, and the mud was both sticky and deep. By night 
and day for over a week in this miserable wet December we helped 
the mules, and some of the boys assisted the drivers and wagon- 
masters in the " cussing " that seemed to be necessary to get the 
mules to pull the trains up on the high ground near old Stafford 
Court House. The dangerous part of the work consisted in 
watching the Confederate cavalry, who were most vigorously 
annoying our flanks and compelling us every night to lie on our 
arms prepared to repel an attack from Stuart and his active men. 
On one of these marches, at the end of a miserable drizzly day, in 
which we had wearily dragged ourselves along with the train, 
through snow, rain and mud, frequently compelled to stop and 
place our shoulders to the wheels of a wagon to help it along, and 
occasionally prying it out of a mudholc. and the building of short 
pieces of corduroy road, in our efforts to catch up with the 
brigade that had gone into camp some miles ahead of us, impene- 
trable darkness overtook us, and about four miles from Dumfries, 
w'hile we were pulling up a hill and almost despairing of making 
any headway, one of the boys, with a little more grit than 

the others, said, d d if he was going to march that night any 

longer; we are stuck, said he, and might as well lay up for the 
night ; suiting his action to the words he uttered, he commenced 
to lay off his accoutrements and prepare to halt, and by a little 
persuasion his five comrades, the corporal and driver yielded, and 
the guns were stacked, the nuiles unhitched from the wagxMi that 
was stuck in the middle of the road, and they were brought to 
higher and firmer ground ; by the aid of an axe a fire was made, 
and eight members of the regiment made the best of a bad iob on 
that miserable winter night, and were soon cooking coft'ee, and by 
eating pork and hardtack endeavored to forget their unfortunate 
condition ; with feet to the fire the bo\s extracted comfort out of 
their trouble; with a gum blanket underneath, knapsack for pillow 
and wool blanket for cover, the night was spent as well as could 



117 



b. expected in such dismal circumstances, and without any addi- 
tional mishap, except in sleeping with our feet to the fire two of 
the boys got their toes too close to it, and when mornmg came 
their shoes were burned out, and "Uncle Sam" had to fttrmsh 
two additional pairs of No. 6 shoes for the boys who had lost 
theirs on the march; by a supreme effort the next mornmg the 
„a<.on was extricated from the mud, and by noon we reac ed 
the°camp; fortunately no official action was taken of the ,™tter 
and Corporal Mclntyre and Lieutenant Dunnegan got out of the 
scrape without a Court-Martial. 

Brigadier-General Kane, always anxious to show the met le 
that his brigade was made of, for several nights liad the t25th, also 
the I24th, Pennsylvania Regiments acting as a Bying squadron to 
oind up Stuart'I men, and he made a most gallant effort in this 
di ction. The second night we were out the cold was intense 
and we did not dare to have a fire, as it would at once disclos 
our whereabouts to the enemy. Many of the boys suffered 
severely. Of course, the wily Stuart got away from us, but it 
wis no fault of ours nor of our general, as we did our best to 
Tatch his force, but they rode too rapidly and were too sleek for u 
and evidently the natives kept them posted of our whereabouts 
and movements, and it was impossible to get them into the tr p 
that we so neatly laid for them. This effort to surround and 
capture Stuart's Cavalry deserves more than a passing notice. 
We w re near what was called Wolf Run Shoals, and not only 
otir brigade but also the entire division was halted and thrown 
into hn! of battle, by reason of suddenly coming onto the enemy 
and we anticipated some hot work. This was in the latter pa to 
December, 186.. General Slocum, our corps commander ad hi 
staff were riding in advance of our brigade, and by a sudden 
dash of Stuart's men they were nearly captured ^ *e -einng 
the 125th was thrown out about three miles m advance of the hue 
of bat le, and relieved the 20th Connecticut very much to their 
pleasure and comfort. We spent the night m a deep pine wood 
n ar wtere our cavalry had a fight during the day. On our second 
^ ght out, as before said, it was extremely cold, and on the follow- 
inf day. becember 29th, we marched back ,0 camp near Fairfax 
Station and found while we were absent the Confederate cavalry 
hd vis ted the station, cut the telegraph wires and P^^yed havo<= 
generally The camp of the 124th Regiment was badly torn up. 



118 

and its sutler was raided and his entire stock captured. CJur 
sutler fortunately was not discovered and was lucky enough to 
escape. The disgust of General Kane when he found out what the 
Confederates had done while we were hunting them cannot be 
properly depicted. While in camp at Fairfax the boys of Com- 
pany " G " captured a Confederate spy, who had been hovering 
about our camp for several days, clad in citizens' garb and posing 
as a native selling plug tobacco. By some means one of the boys 
noticed he had a peculiar-looking plug and wanted to buy it, but 
this he would not sell or part with. Suspicion being aroused, an 
examination was made, and in this plug were found papers, with 
drawings of our brigade and division camps, that convicted him 
of the nefarious work in which he was engaged. We heard that 
he was hanged a few days afterward. No doubt this was one 
of the chaps who kept General Stuart so well posted of our where- 
abouts and doings. The boys of Company " G " will remember 
him as a middle-aged man with a long beard and a good talker. 
He and Cal Russ used to discuss the war and other matters 
for hours ; in fact, he spent several nights in Company " G " quar- 
ters, but tarried one night too many, as the sequel proved. 

We resumed our march toward Fredericksburg about the 
middle of January, 1863, and on the march to Stattord we passed 
at Dumfries the first brigade of our second division, being Ohio 
boys, and the 28th Pennsylvania. The\- sympathized with us as we 
trudged along in the mud, and gibed us no little on our poor 
luck in having to be out in such miserable weather. One incident 
of this march, we are certain the boys of the 125th will never for- 
get ; it was this : A storm was threatening, and our Colonel 
concluded to halt earlier than usual. We had just emerged from 
a v.'ood about a mile or two north of Stafford Court House, when 
we were ordered to stack our arms and halt for the night. There 
was an old camp near where we stopped, and the Colonel gave us 
permission to occupy it, and very soon we had our little dog-tents 
stretched over the log huts and made ourselves real cozy, and were 
for the time being at least " strictly in it." For half a day and a 
night we seemed to have, and did lKi\-e, real comfort. Tt snowed 
during the night and was quite cold. When morning came we 
congratulated ourselves on the advantage we had over the balance 
of the brigade by reason of our excellent good fortune in getting 
such fine c|uarters. Aliout ten o'clock, however, the weather mod- 



119 

erated, the sun commenced to shine, the snow to melt, and the 
balmy air of that climate soon came with the moderation of the 
weather. This combination of circumstances caused a commotion 
in the camp such as had never before been seen or experienced, 
and by two o'clock in the afternoon nearly every soldier in the 
regiment, including the officers, could be seen along the bank of 
the stream nearby, or in front of their quarters, with coat and 
other garments off, employed in a most active investigation as to 
the cause or causes of the twitchings and inieasy feelings, accom- 
panied with the desire to scratch that seemed to have taken hold 
of every individual. Each one was determined to ascertain why 
his backbone should be used as a race-course by small fleet-footed 
chargers, whose presence could only be discovered by the violent 
laying on of hands, and could only be exterminated by the strictest 
and most scrutinizing search with boiling salt water. This was our 
first real accjuaintance with the genuine " grayback " (the army 
louse), and, sure enough, he stuck to us closer than a brother and 
stayed with us until " our change of base." It is needless to add that 
before many days passed we were out of the old tents and found 
quarters that " graybacks " had not already secured in our 
advance, but for the time at least the balance of the brigade had 
the laugh on the 125th. 

One of the sad incidents while in camp at this point was the 
loss by sudden death of our regimental commissary sergeant, 
Samuel Baker, or Becker, of Company " B." He was a most 
excellent soldier and companionable man. He had at one time 
been one of John Brown's men in Kansas, and used to entertain 
the boys with reminiscences of the old Hero of Kansas border war- 
fare and Harper's Ferry. He was a most excellent commissary 
and was an expert in getting his mule teams through on time, and 
with half a chance Sergeant Baker's wagons of the 125th would 
lead the procession. 

During the time we lay on the hills near Stafford, the 17th 
Pennsylvania Cavalry were encamped about a mile in our rear. 
There was nothing peculiar in this save they had a most excellent 
band of music, and before sundown every evening across the hills 
would roll the strains of " Home, Sweet Home," " Sweet Annie of 
the Vale " and " Annie Laurie," until our hearts would ache with 
the thoughts of dear ones left behind that this music kindled. 
INIany an evening we saw stalwart comrades slyly wiping away the 



120 

escaping tell-tale tear, and nearly every man in the regiment was 
softened by the sweet memories it revived. While there we had 
night alarms, and were called out several times to repel supposed 
attacks from Stuart's Cavalry. Lieutenant McCamant, of Com- 
pany " G," in his diary, under date of February 26, 1863, says: 
" Aroused at 4 a. m.^ and marched to Austin's Creek to repel a 
supposed attack of cavalry"; and under date of ]\Iarch 11, he 
says : " Another night alarm orders out the regiment, but we 
found no enemy." Again, on March 13, the diary says: ''Still 
another night alarm, but no enemy came." On March 14, " We 
moved our camp to Kane's Landing," and on March 17, " We 
heard heavy cannonading in the direction of Warrenton Junction 
— the cause of which we did not learn." 

Picket duty about Stafford was hazardous, and frequent cap- 
tures were made of the boys who performed that very important 
work. The writer hereof remembers one night on an outpost, 
about three miles from camp, in a thicket of woods, along an old 
mill-race that at one time fed a saw or grist mill, a party of six 
under Sergeant Graw, were doing their best to keep under shelter 
in a snow storm, and at the same time discharge a duty placed 
upon them. We dug a hole in a bank under the trees, heaped 
bushes around us, and built a fire to keep as warm as possible. 
The heavy pine bushes helped us to keep dry, but one of our num- 
ber had to be outside the shelter to warn us of an attack, when 
suddenly, about midnight, we heard a great commotion in our 
front, and the snow came rattling down from a nearby tree, mak- 
ing quite a noise. Comrade Ed. Hall, who was on the watch, 
came rushing in and aroused us. Sergeant Graw immediately 
ordered every man out, and what little vestige of fire we had w^as 
stamped out. We double-quicked around to ascertain if possible 
in the gray darkness the cause of the noise, but after a good deal 
of scurrying we found nothing and saw nothing. About two 
o'clock the writer's turn for an hour on the watch came, and soon 
thereafter the same noise was heard from the same direction. 
Again the guard was aroused and the same vigilant search insti- 
tuted, when finally our corporal and the writer chanced under the 
tree where the snow had been shaken off, and finding an unusual 
quantit}- on the ground, we peered about and discovered that a 
flock of pheasants had been the cause of our alarm. We secured 
two of the birds that were upon the lower limb, and with their 



121 

capture the alarm for that night was at an end. Had Comrade 
Hall fired his gun, or our sergeant given an alarm, the regiment 
would have again been called out, as it was a few nights before 
and a few nights afterward. The reader can be assured the pheas- 
ants made good eating, and as a January dish made quite a relish. 

The order to march from Loudon Valley to the front, on the 
Rappahannock, was given in the early part of December, and the 
march began about the i ith of the month, and ended near Statford 
Court House in the latter part of January, 1863. But it must be 
remembered that when we reached Dumfries we were ordered 
back to Fairfax Station, where we remained until the latter part 
of January. This march was a rapid one, and we had but little 
time to examine the country through which we passed. Most of 
the daylight was consumed in marching, but we had a half-hour 
at noon to prepare coffee to drink, and refresh ourselves with what 
we had in our knapsacks. In the evennig we had to hustle to 
prepare our suppers and pitch tents for a place to sleep. In the 
morning we were aroused early, to strike tents and get breakfast. 
All this kept us busy. We halted early one afternoon and were 
given an opportunity to view the beautiful plains of Chantilly ; 
near this place Generals Kearney and Steens were killed the 
preceding September. Of course, we recalled the devotion of 
these brave officers to the cause in which we were enlisted, and 
during the course of the afternoon viewed as much of the battle- 
field as we possibly could, and notwithstanding several months 
had passed,- we saw many evidences of the fierceness of the con- 
flict that had there raged. 

The latter part of December was very cold, and the exposure 
we were subjected to was great. We had this cold weather to 
endure in our chase after Stuart's Cavalry, but amid it all we 
heard no complaints, and we do not think soldiers ever performed 
duty more cheerfully than did Kane's brigade in their fruitless 
efl:'orts to bag Stuart's troopers during those cold December 
nights. 

In the month of January occurred the famous mud march 
already referred to, when we were moved forward to support 
Burnside's second effort to capture Fredericksburg. The rain was 
incessant and the roads bottomless. We had previously received 
the news of the disaster that befell our army in its first attack on 
Fredericksburg, but this only had a temporary depression on our 



122 

spirits, and in a few da} s our desire to forcibly suppress the rebel- 
lion and end the war was as strong as ever. We resumed our 
march from Fairfax Station, to which place we had fallen back in 
December, on January 19, and when we reached our camping 
place, near Stafford Court House, we were complimented by our 
corps commander, General Slocum, for the courage and endurance 
exhibited on this very trying march. 

The intention, evidently, of the commander of the army. Gen- 
eral Burnside, was for Slocum's, or Twelfth Corps, to take 
part in the campaign against Fredericksburg, and the movement 
of the corps was so timed and directed as to fully protect the rear 
of the army and that part of the country lying between Washing- 
ton and the Rappahannock. The line of our march was infested 
with the Confederate cavalry, and we were frequently in close 
proximity to the wily General Stuart and his troopers. The news 
of the failure of the attack on Fredericksburg, and the recrossing 
of the river by General Burnside to his old position, and the heav}' 
loss sustained in the battle, reached us soon after its occurrence. 
This and the severe cold weather that immediately followed were 
temporaril}- a damper to the ardor and enthusiasm that had before 
that time possessed our part of the army. Our movement from 
Fairfax Station was no doubt intended to unite us with the main 
army, and it was the general belief of our officers that we would 
participate in the second attack on Fredericksburg, ordered to be 
made in the month of Januarw but the terrific rain storm that 
broke over us about the middle of the month, during which we, 
like the balance of the army, " stuck in the mud," caused the pro- 
jected attack to be abandoned : Init the recollection of it and the 
distress sufYered by reason of it will ever form a memorable part 
of the campaign of the Army of the Potomac. Of this second 
intended attempt on Fredericksburg and Lee's army. Stine, in his 
" History of the Army of the Potomac.'' savs : 

■■ During tlic niglit of tlie 20th. tliat is January 186,3. tlie rain began 
and by morning, the 21st, the earth was soaked and the river banks had 
the appearance of a quagmire, already fifteen pontoons were on the river, 
nearly si)anning it. and five more were amply sufficient. Burnside began 
at once to bring up his artillery, which had the effect of makin,g a 
perfect mortar bed: for a cnn^idcrablc area around the ford, all day the 
men worked in the rain but to little jiurpose. quite a number of cannon 
were advanced lU'ar the ford, InU the J.'uil only added to the storm, and 
the artillery, caissons and even wa,gons were swamped in the mud. 



123 

The storm had blocked Burnside's movement, giving Lee ample 
time to line the other shore with his army, so that there was no time 
to interfere with the crossing except from the sharp-shooters, who 
peppered away on all occasions. No doubt Lee was hoping Burnside 
would effect a crossing; with the swollen river in his rear, it would have 
been a serious predicament for the Union Army indeed, but Burnside 
finally became reconciled to his fate and gave the order for the army 
to retire to its quarters, and thus ended the famous mud march. 

His last ill luck (says this same writer, referring to General 
Burnside) was too much for his heretofore good nature. Up to that 
time he -had paid no attention to the criticisms made on him, but then 
he let loose the floodgates of his resentment, and issued an order 
peremptorily dismissing Generals Hooker, Brooks, Newton and Cochrane 
from the service of the United States, and depriving Generals Franklin, 
Smith, Sturgis, Ferrero and Colonel Taylor of their respective com- 
mands. This most extraordinary order had to have the approval of 
the President. Mr. Lincoln as usual looked the matter over with a 
view of best serving the interest of the country, and, says the writer of 
the history, Mr. Stine, I said to Rosecrans that I did not think Lincoln 
had a particle of jealousy against a living being, and that he was so in 
earnest to preserve the Nation, that if it had depended on his place, as 
chief executive of the Nation he would have left the White House 
peremptorily and without a regret. 

After due deliberation over the remarkable paper presented by 
Burnside to dismiss several prominent generals and deprive several 
others of their commands, or accept his resignation, the President de- 
cided to relieve him as Commander-in-Chief of the army of the Potomac 
but not to accept his resignation, and on the 26th of January he severed 
his connection with the army as its Commander." 

Burnside's resignation as Commander-in-Chief of the Army 
of the Potomac was generally regretted by the rank and tile of 
the army, as they all felt that the General was a loyal and trtie 
soldier of his country, and it was thought that he did not receive 
that cordial support from the other officers of the army that he 
was entitled to. While this was going on at the front as we have 
already said, our division and brigade were floundering in the 
mud between Fairfax Station and Stafford Court House. About 
the middle of February, whilst in camp near StalTord Court 
House, we received four months' pay. This, of course, was a very 
pleasing incident, and put money in all our pockets, by reason of 
which the sutler did a thriving business, and those of the boys 
who were inclined to be sporty indulged in games of chance, but 
the majority of them, after paying their little bills due the sutler 
and due from one to another, expressed their money home to 



124 

parents and friends, where the}- knew it would be appreciated 
and taken care of, and be productive of the most good. 

The appointment of General Hooker to the command of the 
army was somewhat of a surprise, but to those who had fought 
on the right in the opening of the battle of Antietam the appoint- 
ment was entirely satisfactory. The General's conduct on that 
morning and his success in driving the Confederate forces to their 
second line of defence on the Miller farm inspired confidence in 
his courage and ability. About the middle of March our division 
and brigade were inspected and reviewed by him, in company with 
our corps commander. Soon thereafter we moved from a new 
camp at Kane's Landing to quarters near Acquia Creek, and there 
we lay until the forward movement commenced in the latter part 
of April on Chancellorsville. At this time our brigade was recon- 
structed and we were taken from Williams' first division and were 
attached to Geary's second division of the Twelfth Corps. 

We were scarcely established in our new quarters at Accjuia 
Creek until old acquaintances and friends from the 62(1, 84th and 
I loth Pennsylvania Regiments came to see us, our new camp 
being much nearer to them than our former one. Many were the 
reminiscences talked over, and news from home discussed. Some 
of the boys received boxes from home filled with good things, 
which of course gladdened hearts and replenished larders. We 
exchanged courtesies with each other with delight and relish ; and 
notwithstanding the fact that we could look across the river from 
Falmouth to see the " Johnnies " ready to greet us with powder 
and shell, we put in a pleasant time, and had what w^ould be 
regarded under the circumstances a right good thing of it. The 
approach of spring was soon noticeable by increased activity in 
all quarters. General Hooker, or " Fighting Joe," as the boys 
used to call him, had established confidence as commander. Presi- 
dent Lincoln came down to see us, and at the grand review in his 
honor he complimented all of us on our soldierly bearing. On 
this review the army was at its best and seemed invincible, but how 
we failed to subsequently succeed will be explained hereafter. 

Much sickness prevailed in the camp in the early spring, and 
the regimental and brigade hospitals were crowded with fever and 
ague and malaria patients ; quite a number of typhoid fever cases 
also developed, and several deaths had occurred at the division 
and corps hospital. As the time approached for breaking camp 



125 

and marching" the boys were enthusiastic over the prospect of get- 
ting away from sickness, and also enthusiastic at the prospect of 
helping terminate the war. Among the many deaths at the 
hospital w^as Robert P. Engles, a very popular young man of Com- 
pany " K," out of the Altoona machine shops. Bob was a splen- 
did fellow, beloved by all his comrades. He came to Altoona from 
Philadelphia, and was apparently one of the stoutest and heartiest 
men in the regiment, but the Virginia climate was too much for 
him, and before we broke camp he crossed death's river and 
added one more hero to the list of patriotic dead. He was the 
fourth member of mess No. 4, Company " K," that had fallen out 
of the ranks, through no fault of his, and failed to answer the roll- 
call when the muster was made for the march to Chancellorsville. 
His messmates consisted of Fred. C. Ward, who was killed at 
Antietam ; George W. Jones, who was wounded at the same battle ; 
Thomas H. Wakefield, who was disabled by a horse at Antietam, 
and J. D. Hicks and Jacob Beatty. This left but Hicks and 
Beatty of the original mess of six boys who had clubbed together 
before leaving Altoona. As before said, Bob was well known by 
all the Altoona boys as a " jolly good fellow " on the march and 
in camp, and his death was mourned by all. We might refer to 
others of the comrades, who suffered from disease and some of 
whom died at Fairfax, Staft'ord and Acquia creek ; each had dear 
friends and messmates in the regiment, in addition to loved ones 
at home. Of those who died we recall the names of Thomas 
Beamer and John A. McFarland, of Company " A " ; Theodore N. 
Cooper and Samuel Reed, of Company " C " ; David Isenburg, 
John Wolheater and John Heft'ner, of Company " F." All of 
these comrades were beloved by their messmates, and were sadly 
missed in their respective companies. We especially cite the case 
of Robert Engles, of Company " K," of those who died, for the 
reason his case came under the personal notice of the writer ; 
and the breaking of the mess in Company " K " but illustrates the 
breaking up of groups in the entire regiment. 

As we look back over the years and realize the exposures 
suffered, we cannot but wonder that so many survived the perils of 
the camp and field in the winter of '62 and '63. 



CHAPTER III. 

Demoralization in Spring of 1S63 — Distrust at Home — Desertion from 
the Ranks — How " Fighting Joe Hooker " Re-established Confidence — 
New Formation of Brigade — Review bj' President Lincoln — The For- 
ward Movement on Chancellorsville — The Battle Line at Chancellors- 
ville — Friday, Saturday and Sunday's Battles — Their Unfortunate Ter- 
mination — That awful Saturday Night — Brave Conduct of Three Musi- 
cians — The Rescuing of the Wounded — The New Line of Battle — The 
Battle at Salem Church, etc. — Back at the old Camp again — Poem to 
the Unknown Dead at Fredericksburg, by J. D. Hicks, of Co. K. 

As has already been intimated, wlien Hooker took command 
of the army it was under depressing conditions. Despondency, on 
account of the disaster at Fredericksburg, and homesickness, pre- 
vailed to a large extent ; " French leave " was resorted to by many 
of the boys, more especially of long-term regiments, some of 
whose names yet remain tipon the rolls, marked as "deserter '' ; 
but desertion was not their intention in most cases, but discontent 
and discotu-agement were prevalent, and the " peace at any price 
party '" were howling in the rear, and of course these had their 
effect on the boys in the front. The politicians opposed to Mr. 
Lincoln had created alarm and caused general distrust at home, 
and nuich of it reached the army. The failure to crush the rebel- 
lion was unjustly blamed on the inefficiency of the Government. 
Hooker soon commenced to turn things right about, and soon a 
change for the better was noticeable. Drilling and marching, raid- 
ing for guerrillas and scouring for Confederate cavalry, who were 
hanging about our right and rear, were of frequent occurrence, 
and soon put the martial spirit in the boys. The old cry, " On 
to Richmond ! " got to be quite as popular an expression as it was 
before the disaster at Fredericksbiu-g. and b\- the time the buds 
commenced to swell in the forests of \'irginia in April the " On 
to Richmond! " cry was heard on all sides, and the entire army 
was ready and enthusiastically awaiting the order to go forward. 

It can be truthfully said that a finer army, in better spirits, and 
more thoroughly disciplined, of over one Inmdred thousand men, 
anxious to meet its foe, was ne\cr nuistered than was the Armv of 
the Potomac in April, 1863, and it impatiently awaited the order 
to move southward. A new spirit was infused ; the grand divi- 
12G 



127 

sions were abolished and the army was arranged in corps. And 
each corps was designated by a badge, and the badges denoted the 
divisions by the respective colors of red, white and blue. The 
first division of the Twelfth Corps was designated by a red star; 
the second division, the one to which we were attached, was desig- 
nated by a white star ; there being no third division of our corps, 
there was no blue star. We soon became very proud of our corps 
badge, and the white star division of the Twelfth Corps will ever 
be notable in history. We were attached to Geary's division 
(second) of the Twelfth (Slocum's) Corps, our brigade being the 
second one, consisting of the 29th, 109th, iiith, 124th and 125th 
Pennsylvania Regiments. Under the impulse of the President's 
proclamation, issued about March loth, granting amnesty to 
deserters who would return by April ist, many who had gone 
home voluntarily rejoined their commands, and the people at home 
wrote more hopefully. A considerable number of recruits joined 
the long-term regiments, and, as before said. Hooker soon found 
himself at the head of as fine an army as the world ever saw. Of 
course, there were some discouragements, the principal one being 
that the time of many of the regiments would soon expire, and if 
no battle was fought in the near future, several regiments from 
New York, Pennsylvania and other states would be discharged by 
reason of expiration of term of service, and the army would be 
depleted by about 20,000 effective men. Hooker was compelled to 
offer battle early in the spring or lose the assistance of these men, 
equal in number to an entire army corps. 

President Lincoln made a personal visit to and inspection of 
the army about April 25th. Prior to this he, with Secretary Stan- 
ton and other prominent personages, had a consultation with Gen- 
eral Hooker and the corps commanders. This visit and inspection 
by the President v/as a great occasion. We all labored to appear 
our very best ; clean clothes, blackened shoes, bright buttons and 
burnished guns, told the story of how we appreciated the visit. 
With dressed lines we passed in review under his eye. W^e 
cheered lustily under his kindly look and cheerful greeting ; we all 
loved Mr. Lincoln, and a look in his face convinced us of his 
honesty, and we knew he was an earnest man, a lover of his 
country, and he w-as, in addition to all of this, our friend. When 
officers w^ere too severe he would interpose clemency in his mild 
way, and he saved many a poor fellow from severity and death. 



128 

If J\Ir. Lincoln had been a stern and harsh man, the history of 
this country might have been quite different, and a writer has well 
said of him at this time, " He listened to all complaints patiently, 
and then usually made his decisions." Respectful to all, he won 
the esteem and respect of his countrymen, and his name is linked 
with Washington's in history, the highest honor that could be 
conferred. While he was hurling great armies at the South to 
compel its people to obey the laws, he nightly prayed that they 
would see the error of their ways and return in peace. He 
would save the Union with or without slavery, and when (after- 
wards) the assassin's bullet ended this great man's life, there 
was mourning even in the South. Those of us who participated, 
and all did who could, in the Grand Review, were proud of the 
fact, and each believed he had caught the eye of the President, 
and the smile that lighted his face was intended for us. 

Shortly after this review, the long-expected order to move 
came, and the grand Army of the Potomac, with a light step and 
a buoyancy and hopefulness, moved to the fords of the Rappa- 
hannock river with celerity, in the full assurance of victory. 

The Twelfth Corps at this time was made up as follows : 

TWELFTH ARMY CORPS. 

Maj.-Gen. Henry W. Slocum. 

PROVOST GUARD 

loth Maine Battalion, Capt. John D. Beardsley. 

FIRST DIVISION. 

Brig.-Gen. Alpheus S. Williams. 

FIRST BRIGADE. 

Brig.-Gen. Joseph F. Knipe. 

^th Connecticut, Col. Warren W. Packer, Lieut.-Col. James A. 

Betts, Maj. David F. Lane. 
2Si}i Xczv York, Lieut.-Col. Elliott W. Cook, AL^j. Theophilus 

Fitzgerald. 
46th Pennsylvania, Maj. Cyrus Strouse, Capt. Edward L. Witman. 
128th Pennsylvania, Col. Joseph A. jNIathews, Alaj. Cephas Dyer. 



129 

SECOND BRIGADE. 

Col. Samuel Ross. 

20th Connecticut, Lieut. -Col. Wm. B. Wooster, Maj. Philo B. 

Buckingham. 
^d Maryland, Lieut. -Col. Gilbert P. Robinson. 
I22d New York, Col. Archibald L. McDougall. 
145th Nezv York, Col. E. Livingston Price, Capt. George W. Reid. 

THIRD BRIGADE. 

Brig. -Gen. Thos. H. Ruger. 

2yth Indiana, Col. Silas Colegrove. 

2d Massachusetts, Col. Samuel M. Ouincy. 

i^th Nezu Jersey, Col. Ezra A. Carman, Maj. John Grimes, Capt. 

George A. Beardsley. 
lO/th Nezv York, Col. Alexander S. Divin. 
jd Wisconsin, Col. William Hawley. 

ARTILLERY. 

Capt. Robert H. Fitzhugh. 

1st Nezv York, Light Battery K, Lieut. Edward L. Bailey. 

1st Nezv York, Light Battery M, Lieut. Chas. E. Vinegar, Lieut. 

John D. Woodberry. 
4th United States, Battery F, Lieut. Franklin B. Crosby, Lieut. 

Edward P. Muhlenberg. 

SECOND DIVISION. 

Brig.-Gen. John W. Gear\ 

FIRST BRIGADE. 

Col. Charles Candy. 

5th Ohio, Lieut. -Col. Robert L. Kilpatrick, Maj. E. S. Henry. 
yth Ohio, Col. William R. Creighton. 
2()th Ohio, Lieut. -Col. Thomas Clark. 
66th Ohio, Lieut. -Col. Eugene Powell. 

28th Pennsylvania, Maj. Lansford F. Chapman, Capt. Conrad U. 
Meyer. 

SECOND BRIGADE. 

BrisT.-Gen. Thos. L. Kane. 



131 

2pth Pennsylvania, Lieut.-Col. Wm. Rickards, Jr. 

lopth Pennsylvania, Col. Henry J. Stainrook, Capt. John 

Young, Jr. 
iiith Pennsylvania, Col. George A. Cobham, Jr. 
124th Pennsylvania, Lieut.-Col. Simon Litzenberg. 
I2^th Pennsylvania, Col. Jacob Higgins. 

THIRD BRIGADE. 

Brig. -Gen. George S. Greene. 

60th Nezv York, Lieut.-Col. John C. O. Redington. 
28th Nezv York, Maj. Henry R. Stagg, Capt. Wm. H. Randall. 
I02d Nciv York, Col. James G. Lane. 
iS/th Nezv York, Col. David Ireland. 

I4pth Nezv York, Mai. Abel G. Cook, Capt. Oliver T. May, Lieut.- 
Col. Kort S. Van Voorhis. 

ARTILLERY. 

Capt. Joseph M. Knapp. 

Pennsylvania Light, Battery E, Lieut. Chas. A. Atwell, Lieut. 

James D. McGill. 
Pennsylvania Light, Battery F, Capt. Robert B. Hampton, Lieut. 

James P. Fleming. 

The order issued to the cavalr}', who led the van, was to 
fight, tight, light, and the other parts of the army were expected to 
do likewise. On the 27th of April the Twelfth Corps, of which 
we were a part, was put in motion, and we can yet see General 
Slocum, our corps commander ; General Geary, our division com- 
mander, and our own gallant little General Kane, our brigade 
commander, as they rode out at the head of their respective col- 
umns with their staff officers. A prouder set of officers and more 
determined men never marched to music, and all felt that victory 
was in the air, and that Richmond this time would surely be ours. 
Arriving at Kelly's ford, about 27 miles from our camp, on the 
afternoon of the 29th, we crossed the Rappahannock over pon- 
toon bridges, and in the afternoon of the 30tli we stacked our 
guns on an extended line of battle in front of the Chancellor 
House, fully 37 miles from where we started; on our right was 
the Eleventh Corps, and on our left was the Fifth Corps, and in 
reserve, in the neighborhood, was the Third Corps, and subse- 



132 

quently the First Corps ; on our immediate left was the first 
Jbrigade, tinder the command of Colonel Canly, and on our right 
was the third brigade, conmianded by General Greene. One 
incident of the march we chance to recall, that was quite a joke on 
one of the most efficient officers of the regiment — it was Captain 
Bell, of Company " A." The Captain was quite a strict disci- 
plinarian and generally had things done jtist about right. One of 
the orders issued by ottr commanding officer was that there was 
to be no absence from the ranks without permission. This order 
Captain Bell evidently forgot, as, when we got to the ford, the 
Captain, after placing his company in command of his first lieu- 
tenant, went ofit" with the chaplain to view the army going over the 
river. While enjoying this scene and seeing the deployment on 
the other side. General Kane came riding up, and seeing Captain 
Bell and the chaplain together, at once halted to ascertain the 
cause. The result was that Captain Bell was placed temporarily 
under arrest, but the General soon relented, and before Company 
"A" was deployed in line of battle the Captain was in his old 
place and giving orders as usual. 

Immediately upon assuming our places in the battle-line, we 
commenced throwing up breastworks, and in a short time, with 
our bayonets and tin plates, we had a line of rifle pits covering 
our entire regimental front, behind which we could nestle down 
wdth safety. On the afternoon of Friday our brigade was ordered 
out for a reconnoissance, and we marched from our works in the 
direction of Fredericksburg, Company " B " acting as skirmishers. 
We advanced to the east of the Plank Road, probably a mile and 
a half; we passed through quite a wood and swamp, and were 
finally getting on the high and open ground, in the direction of 
Salem Church, when we discovered the enemy. Across the open 
field we could see men cautiously moving, and quite a number 
of pieces of artillery ready to open on us, had wc advanced 
further. General Kane, \\ho was near Colonel Higgins when 
the command was given [o halt, was heard to express himself as 
anxious to go forward, but he had received orders to bring on 
no battle, and instead of going further he was ordered to nturn. 
Doubting- the wisdom of this instruction he protested forci- 
bly against returning, and wanted permission to charge over 
the field and take the guns in our front, \\niilst awaiting per- 
mission to go forward, for which he had asked, a second order 



133 

came to him to fall back, and whilst protesting against the order 
a third one came, with some definite news attached, that caused 
him, much to his regret, to face about his command and com- 
mence the backward movement. We had scarcely commenced tc 
retreat when a line of Confederate skirmishers was thrown for- 
ward and commenced firing upon us. They assisted all they knew 
how in hastening our steps in retirement to our line of works. 
When we reached the Plank Road the fire became brisker, and 
just before we crossed the road the enemy unlimbered a couple 
of guns and sent canister down the road at a rapid rate. We 
were moved north of the road and re-formed, then about-faced 
and slowly moved backward, firing as we moved, until we arrived 
at our place in the line of works, when the skirmish was over. In 
it we had a number of men captured. Some think that General 
Kane was right in wanting" to advance, and claim that the high 
ground on our front and in the open was the place for the battle, 
and not the ground about Chancellorsville, and that had he been 
permitted to occupy the field he was compelled by orders of his 
superiors to abandon, a difl^erent story might have been v/ritten 
about the fight at Chancellorsville. 

In the evening we moved along the line, and found the third 
brigade of (our) Twelfth Corps and part of the Third Corps, as 
well as the Eleventh Corps beyond, had thrown up a line of 
works like our own, and for over a mile through the brush and 
underwood there was a line of rifle pits filled with anxious and 
enthusiastic men, awaiting the action of the Confederate army, 
and expecting them to walk into the trap set for them. Why they 
did not do this will be discovered a little further on. 

Friday night was beautiful, the air was balmy and fragrant, and 
the trees were just commencing to put on their leaves, and it was 
hard to keep that great army quiet. All sorts of rumors were 
reaching us ; in fact, it was rumored the war was about over, and 
the entire Confederate army was about laying down their arms to 
" Fighting Joe." Whilst we were talking it over on that May 
night, Lee and Jackson, not over one and one-half miles away, 
were also talking it over, and their talk and plans proved much 
more effective, which the work of the next day proved. In the 
evening, quite late, we heard firing to our left, and were told 
that Sykes had, with his regulars, repulsed an efi^ort to break 
through his lines. Saturdav morning found its awake earlv, and 



134 

soon the army was astir and eager for work. To our right, 
between the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps, we saw a part of our 
army moving out on an easy gait toward the south. We were 
told this was the Third Corps, going to stop the retreat of the 
Confederates further south. Scarcely had our men got out of 
sight when there moved in our front the steady tramp of an 
armed force, apparently going in the same direction as our own 
men, who preceded them. From this force we could hear an occa- 
sional command, '' Close up," " Steady, men," and like words, and 
now and then we could catch glimpses of the gray-clothed ranks 
moving with steady steps, with arms at right shoulder and pay- 
ing no attention either to us or to our skirmish line in front. This 
column proved to be Jackson's men, who were moving in close 
proximity to Sickles' corps and our main army, and were on their 
great flanking march, that caused us so much trouble later. They 
were then moving to strike the rear of the Eleventh Corps. Gen- 
eral Kane was walking up and down in rear of the 125th, and 
several times was heard to remark to Colonel Higgins, and also 
to Captains McKeage, Hewit, Wallace, Gardner and others, that 
he would like to have a chance to investigate that column, and the 
query has often been suggested since, Why w^as he not allowed to 
do so ? About two o'clock the column had gone and our immediate 
front became quiet again. Sickles" men came back from the old 
furnace, where they had gone, and the army was resting, waiting 
until Lee's men should come our way and hand in their arms. 

SURPRISE AND PAXIC OF THE IITH CORPS. 

About five o'clock we heard the boom, boom, boom of a big 
gun away to our right and rear, in the direction of the old tavern 
we had passed so recently. Every man jumped to his feet 
and cast his e^es in the direction from which that ominous sound 
came. Again and again it sent forth its loud and yet louder 
report, and we at once knew all was not right, and that a battle 
had commenced in an unexpected quarter. It was a surprise to 
us. Soon the boom of that big gun became more distinct, and 
the officers were inquiring of one another what it meant. A noise 
sounding like a storm was approaching us. and with the noise was 
the firing of musketry. Soon rushing orderlies were seen, and 
batteries moving in apparently all directions, yet none could 



135 

explain the turmoil and hubbub that was getting nearer us, and 
the boom, boom of that big gun was now too close for comfort. 
Soon we knew the battle was on and we were not the attacking 
force. The noise made by the " yi ! yi ! ! yi ! ! ! " of the Rebel yell 
and the rapidly nearing approach of the noise told its own story, 
and we knew the battle was going against our men. After a 
while a straggler came, then one or two more, and soon a handful ; 
finally a host, many without guns or any other marks of a soldier, 
except uniforms, to distinguish them as such, all running for life, 
panic-stricken, fleeing with faces blanched and full of fear, and 
all with the same story, " the battle is lost," " the battle is lost." 
Soon the rush of the panic-stricken fugitives, filled with terror 
and frenzy, was on us. We were at once ordered out of our 
trenches and directed to stop them in their course. With fixed 
bayonets we made the effort, but we might as well have tried to 
stop the Rappahannock in its onward course; they broke through 
our ranks and swept over our works into the Confederate lines. 
Do all we could, say what we pleased, they would not and did not 
stop until they were either captured or reached the river ; hun- 
dreds of them crossed our lines and rushed into captivity in the 
Confederate army empty handed. We gave a sigh of relief when 
they had gone, and now we were in the turmoil ourselves. Bul- 
lets flew thick and fast, and an occasional shot from a battery 
gtm went screaming over our heads ; whilst we were facing one 
way and receiving the enemy's bullets at long range from that 
direction, we were attacked by a skirmish line that had quietly 
occupied our front in the other direction. This latter, how^ever, 
we soon repelled, and by the time this was done the artillery on 
the high ground at Hazel Grove stopped the onslaught of Jack- 
son's men. There we stood our ground under fire from flank and 
front, until it was silenced by the heaviest discharges of artillery 
we ever heard or expect to hear. This kept up its awful roar and 
noise until nearly midnight ; then on our guns, in our rifle pits, 
we fell asleep and awaited the soldier's waking in the morning, 
and when it would dawn each felt and knew he was to be on the 
firing line and was expected to do his duty. 

It is hard to form or give an idea of the turmoil and excitement 
of the Saturday night's battle at Chancellorsville. Officers, men 
and artillery horses were all in one inextricable mass of panic 
and confusion ; arms, accoutrements, and in many cases coats, 



136 

were cast away, so as not to impede flight ; here and there a brave 
officer and an occasional private would about-face, and vainly 
endeavor to stop the onward rush and induce the fleeing men to 
rally — all, however, to no purpose. Our own officers and men 
tried to exert some influence as well as force in the same direction, 
and Captain Bell, of Company " A," was especially active in trying 
to rally the fugitives, and with drawn sword and vigorous lan- 
guage he tried in vain to halt them ; they finally passed us and 
disappeared from view. The memory of this crowd of panic- 
stricken men seems yet like a dream, some hideous vision in 
the night-time, and it is hard, even at this late day, after a lapse 
of forty-two years, to realize that such abject fear and terror could 
possess men of reason and sense. 

General Pleasanton, with his artillery and by his skilful and 
level-headed work, saved* a more extended panic and rout. We 
could hear the noise and rush and see the movement of the artil- 
lery whilst being placed in position, and though every man of us 
felt the tension, we fully realized the peril of our situation and 
the responsibility resting upon us. Too much credit cannot be 
given to officers and men for stemming that contagion of panic, 
for it was hard work for us to keep from running away with the 
rest. The bloody work of the artillery and musketry of Sickles' 
men commenced about eight o'clock. We were probably from 
three to five hundred yards from Hazel Grove, on the left of the 
artillery line ; the battle line extended from that point to Fairview 
in our rear, and further on, perhaps five hundred yards. The 
Confederate advance was met with a volley of shell, canister and 
musketry that we do not believe was ever exceeded before or 
afterward in an}- Ixitlle. To properly describe this terrific night 
battle is beyond the power of pen ; the heavy fire of nuisketry was 
accompanied with shouting and yelling of the most violent char- 
acter, and the loud cries of the wounded, mingled with oaths of 
Confederate officers tr\ing to steady their men, could occasionally 
be heard in the intervals of moments on our front and flank ; shell, 
shot, and bullets from sixt}- pieces of artillery and from Sickles' 
fifteen thousand men, were poured into the woods where the 
Confederates were lying, and it seemed impossible that any living 
thing could exist in front of that withering fire. The scream of 
the shot and the noise of the bursting shell echoed and re-echoed 
from that wood for about two and a half hours, and the whole 



137 

place, with its noise, smoke and fire, seemed more like a part of 
the infernal regions than a place of human habitation. Language 
cannot express nor give a proper description of the scene which 
it was our painful duty to participate in and witness. Finally the 
tumult hushed, and the bloody work of the day's fight was over. 

The Army of the Potomac was saved from being crushed by 
the almost superhuman efforts that were made. Jackson's men, 
with their intrepid leader, had marched skilfully past both Sickles' 
and Howard's corps, and finally came on the rear of Howard and 
doubled up his men like the rolling of a screen, and the great 
Eleventh Corps, with its fifteen thousand men, faded like a cloud 
and was gone. Pleasanton, with his artillery, and that of the 
Third and Twelfth Corps, alone stood between the Confederate 
army and a complete victory. It was probably eleven o'clock 
before the Rebel yell entirely ceased, and the three cheers of the 
Union forces on the high ground at Hazel Grove could be heard 
above the din, announcing the fact of success to our cause. Our 
answer to that cheer was vigorously given, and rendered assur- 
ance that the Twelfth Corps was in proper trim to bear its part 
of the work that we knew must follow on the morrow. After the 
final repulse of Jackson's men we tried to sleep, but once in the 
night a fire of some Confederate skirmishers into Company " G " 
caused it to temporarily move out of its works, but brave Captain 
McKeage soon had the boys back in line again. Without any 
further excitement we la}- on our arms until awakened by the 
boom of the same gun that had carried terror and destruction 
before it on the previous day. Our artillery had occupied the high 
ground at Hazel Grove the night before, and from that eminence 
had done wonderful work in repulsing the victorious enemy, and 
they commenced the work of the morning with caution. They 
early engaged Sickles' men, and by the falling back of a part of 
that corps the high ground at Hazel Grove was for a while in 
danger of a rear or flank attack. Unfortunately its value as a 
strategic point was not fully understood or appreciated, and our 
artillery abandoned it and fell back to our immediate right rear, 
some few hundred vards west, or rather south, of the Chancellor 
House. This gave the enemy the advantage they desired. Hazel 
Grove was the key to that part of the field, and by at once taking 
possession of the abandoned eminence they obtained a range of 
our rifle pits, and made our line of works untenable and of no 



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139 

protection whatever. Several men, including Lieutenant Jesse S. 
Stewart, of Company " A," were killed, and a larger number 
wounded. The 29th, 109th, and iiith Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
that lay in our immediate rear, suffered more severely than we 
did. We had, generally speaking, no breakfast in the excitement 
' of the morning save hardtr^k and bacon, yet some of us, in this 
fire, enjoyed the luxury of a cup of coffee, and the way this coffee 
was brought to us is worthy of note. There was, as already stated, 
an open field a short distance in our rear, in which was located 
the Chancellor House. After the seizure of Hazel Grove the 
Confederate batteries and infantry had a complete range of the 
field ; but, notwithstanding this fact, three boys of our division 
came across that open field and went back again through that fire 
unscathed, carrying two kettles of coffee. These boys were 
Thomas Lloyd, of Company " G " ; Caleb Tipton, of Company 
" K," 125th Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Owen Hicks, of Com- 
pany " G," 7th Ohio, formerly a Blair and Huntingdon County 
boy ; they belonged to the musicians of the division, and, unmind- 
ful of the danger, they carried through that storm of shot and 
shell good cheer and comfort to the boys on the firing line. They 
were joyously received, and the coffee went around as far as it 
would go. After the kettles were emptied the boya went back to 
their positions to perform duty to wounded comrades, and they 
were among the first to greet us when we marched into our new 
lines later in the day. The fire from the Confederate batteries now 
became severe, and, there seeming to be no orders from any one. 
Colonel Higgins debated with several of the captains whether or 
not he should withdraw, and was anxiously awaiting an order 
from headquarters, when finally General Greene came down the 
line, at the head of the third brigade and gave our colonel the 
necessary order to withdraw, and by his direction the 125th evac- 
uated its works and moved in the rear of the third brigade to the 
intersection of the Plank Road with the main road to Fredericks- 
burg. Here we were placed in line of battle at right angles to our 
former line, in the open field in front of the Chancellor House, but 
again we were moved in the direction of Hazel Grove, and again 
reoccupied in part our old position and rifle pits ; in fact, that 
seemed to be the object of our movement, but our old place was 
too much of a target for the Confederate artillery, and we soon 
moved back again nearer the Chancellor House. From that point 



140 

we could plainly see the enemy forming his infantry for another 
forward movement. We were advanced to a less exposed position 
nearer the enemy's line, protected, however, by a rise in the 
ground. Whilst executing this movement the first brigade, com- 
manded by Colonel Candy (or Creighton), of the 7th Ohio, 
passed through our regiment and divided it, and a part of the 
regiment was afterward attached to this command. Soon there- 
after we were advanced a little further up the field and directed 
to lie down and reserve our fire until we should receive orders. 
The enemy commenced to move out of the woods cautiously and 
soon came within easy range, when a well-directed volley from 
us sent them back to the woods from which they had emerged. 
There was a disposition on the part of our men to follow them, 
but again we w^ere ordered to lie down, and soon the enemy 
advanced a second time, giving their usual yell, but our fire was 
too withering for them, and. despite their officers, we saw them 
break, turn their backs and seek the shelter of the woods. At this 
time the Chancellor House was discovered to be on fire. It had 
been used as a shelter for our sick and a hospital for our wounded, 
and also in part as headquarters, but was abandoned for all pur- 
poses except as a hospital since quite early in the day. Whilst it 
was burning, details were made to care for and look after our 
wounded, and every possible eftort put forth to save and rescue 
them. During this time the Confederates were rapidly massing 
again on our front and flank, and were making ready for another 
charge. Solid shot and screaming shell were flying about and 
above us, and the pandemonium of the night before seemed to 
have broken loose again. Our brave officers, however, kept us 
in good hope, and we were as fully determined to repel our enemy 
as he was to drive us from the field. W^e could see by this time our 
old rifle pits in their possession, and our knapsacks and blankets, 
including all our movables and keepsakes from home, were prey 
to them ; but now on both our left and front we were liable to 
suft'er from a cross fire, and to severe loss in our ranks, that 
were already reduced to a minimum. One noble boy. Sergeant 
Avery, we think it was, of the 7th Ohio, was wounded severely 
in the body, but stoutly refused assistance ofif the field, saying he 
could get along b}' himself. We have never seen the Sergeant 
since, but heard of him. He recovered and was as noble and gen- 
erous in after vears as he was brave on the mornino: of that severe 



141 

battle. The third attack finally came, supported by artillery, and 
again it was our pleasure to see the men in gray turn their backs 
to us, and, under a well-directed fire, seek shelter of the woods at 
the edge of that field. By this time the Chancellor House was 
almost in ruins and the smoking woods warned us of their being 
on fire. Our officers now saw preparation for another attack in 
progress of formation, both in our front and on our left, but our 
artillery had gone to the rear and there were apparently no troops 
on the field, at least none in sight except our own second division 
(Geary's) of the Twelfth Corps, when some staft" officer at this 
time ordered us to retire, and, marching by the right flank, at a 
shoulder arms, we abandoned the field, and with a last look at the 
smoking ruins of the Chancellor House and the bloody field bevond 
we passed into the woods, out of range of the fire of the muskets 
of our enemy, and away from the active scene of the fearful strife 
that for three days we had been active participants in. On our 
march to the rear every possible aid was extended to the wounded 
comrades we discovered along the way, and details searched the 
burning woods so that none would be left there to perish. The 
color-bearer of the 66th Ohio temporarily detached his flag from 
its stafi: so he could get through the woods easier, for part of our 
way was through a thick underbrush that skirted a small stream 
that we followed a long distance. This incident, barring the 
escapes we made from the bursting shells of the enemy's artillery 
that were thrown after us, were the only exciting features of our 
hasty yet orderly withdrawal. Finally we reached the new forma- 
tion, and were halted in rear of a new line of battle, about a mile 
north of Chancellorsville, in the direction of the river. Here we 
were again subjected to a short but severe shelling from our 
exultant foe, who, deeming prudence the better part of valor, 
seemed to be content that we should for the balance of the day 
have peace. Later in the day, however, we heard the rebel " yi ! 
yi ! ! yi ! ! ! " in the distance as they moved ofif to attack Sedgwick's 
men. 

It is not much of a great battle that a private soldier sees ; in 
fact, he is a small atom of a great force such as was in action in a 
battle like Chancellorsville. It may be presumption perhaps for 
him to even criticise, vet many thinking soldiers of the Twelfth 
Corps believe General Kane was right when he wanted to take 
the high ground on Friday afternoon, of which we have spoken 



142 

and an investigation made of the passing column on Saturday 
morning. 

It is said that the army was without a commander for quite 
a while on Sunday morning, and that this largely accounted for 
our misfortune and disaster. Why we were surprised in broad 
daylight by a flank movement that nearly every private soldier 
of the Twelfth and Third Corps and part of the Eleventh saw 
actively moving before our eyes, without hindrance, is one of the 
unexplained mysteries of the fearful disaster. 

Whilst we lay in the woods hiding we could hear the report 
of the firing on Sedgwick's men by the enemy, at Salem Church, 
about five or six miles away, and as the sound grew further away 
we knew that this battle was also going against our men. By 
evening the sounds became cjuite distant, and we learned later 
that Sedgwick had fallen back to Fredericksburg, and that the 
heights captured by him at that place, which we had learned 
on Saturday were ours, were likely to be retaken by our now 
apparently invincible foe. A heavy rain set in during the night 
and made our quarters very uncomfortable. 

During the night of May 6th we recrossed the turbulent Rap- 
pahannock, over a rickety pontoon bridge, with a route step, with a 
crestfallen feeling of disappointment, misery and disgust. The 
Rappahannock had risen to over twice its usual size by the heavy 
rains. Our place of crossing was the United States Ford, several 
miles below the ford we had crossed a few days before on our 
march to the battle. We were certainly a diflferent lot of men ; 
then we were buoyant, full of hope and cheer; now we were 
disappointed and filled with wretchedness and misery, and hunger, 
for we had scarcely anything to cat and were both wet and 
muddy. After reaching the high ground on the north bank of the 
river we were halted near a run called Potomac Creek, where we 
lay for the balance of the night. Early next morning we moved 
in the direction of Stafi^ord Court House, which place we reached 
about noon, and were there treated to a liberal supply of good 
rations, and also to a liberal ration of whiskey, which was in this 
instance a real help and relief to many of the comrades, who were 
suffering from the efifect of the severe exposure and the torrents 
of rain we had encountered. Whilst at Stafford Court House we 
were complimented by om- corps commander. General Slocum, 
for the endurance we cxhil)itcd imdcr the vcrv difficult and trvinar 



143 

circumstances we had encountered. General Geary, our division 
commander, also addressed us in a similar vein. In the evening 
we reached our old camp, near Acquia Creek Landing, and there 
remained until we were sent to Harrisburg through Washington 
for our final muster out. 

Our losses at Chancellorsville, considering the exposed posi- 
tion we held, the lively skirmish of Friday and the battle of Sun- 
day, were not heavy ; these were, five killed, twelve wounded and 
ten captured. There were several slightly wounded, of whom no 
note was made. The killed, wounded and captured were distrib- 
uted by companies as follows : 

COMPANY "A" 

Lieut. Jesse S. Stewart, killed ; Corporal George C. Davidson, 
wounded ; Private Charles Clodius, killed ; Private John M. Ester- 
line, captured. 

COMPANY "B" 

Sergeant James Houck, wounded. Private Jacob F. Aurandt, 
killed. Privates William B. Blake, William Brunell, Joseph C. 
Garner, John D. Love, John Richards and George Winters, 
wounded. Private George H. Rhodes, captured. 

COMPANY "C" 

Private Jeremiah C. Breneman, wounded. 

COMPANY "D" 

Private David W. Oswalt, killed. Private Andrew Stewart, 
wounded and captured. 

COMPANY "E" 

Sergeant William Nofker, captured. Corporal Samuel Stroup, 
wounded. Privates John Benton and Levi Leedom, captured. 

COMPANY "F" 

Privates William H. Haugh, John D. Lewis and Richard 
Owens, captured. 

COMPANY "G" 

Private Theodore Barr, captured. 

COMPANY "I" 

Private John W. Scott, killed. 



144 

COMPANY "K" 

Corporal John A. Alclntyre, captured. Private Wilson L. 
Akers, wounded. 

This ended, so far as our regiment was concerned, the great 
battle of Chancellorsville, and soon thereafter our term of service. 
We had hoped to be a part of an invincible army that was to win 
a glorious victory for our cause ; in this we were, like the country, 
sadly disappointed. Critics all agree that Hooker's movement at 
Chancellorsville was most brilliant in its conception and in the 
preliminary contests leading up thereto, but the battle itself was a 
failure. The surprise given by Jackson's flank attack on the 
Eleventh Corps has been criticized by all leading writers in their 
history of that battle, and failure to prevent it pronounced a 
blunder on the part of some one. It is claimed that General A'^on 
Gilsa, whose brigade was on the extreme right of the army, had 
given timely notice of the mysterious movement on his front, but 
no attention was paid the same, and the right flank of the army was 
not strengthened, and when the attack came the Federal line was 
too weak to resist the strong force hurled against it. To this 
surprise, and the abandonment of Hazel Grove on Sunday morn- 
ing and the subsequent repulse of Sedgwick, the defeat at Chan- 
cellorsville can be attributed. 

Dedicated to the vast army of UNKNOWN DEAD who sleep 
in Fredericksburg Cemetery, who gave their lives at Fredericks- 
burg, Chancellorsville, Spottsylvania and the Wilderness and 
rest in tuiknown graves, the following poem was read at Reunion 
of the 125th Pennsylvania Volunteers, at Altoona, Pa., by Mrs. 
M. E. Bewley. 

THE UNKNOWN DEAD. 

How vast the multitude of dead 

That 'neath thy sod doth lie, 
Near Fredericksburg, in earthy bed 

Deaf to earth's battle cry. 

So still, so peacefully they sleep. 

Their swords and guns laid down. 
Unconsciously they wear the wreath 
That victory's brow doth crown. 



145 

Grave unto grave doth nestle close 
Their inmates side by side, 

As if in death with solid front, 
To face the foe they 'd ride. 

No costly monument uprears 

Its lofty shaft of stone ; 
A simple slab of marble white, 

And simply marked " Unknown," 

Marks the last resting place of those 
Who died afar from home, 

No loving friend to close their eyes 
Or listen to their moan. 

Unknown but not unhonored they, 
Their country's bravest, best— 

Who most ungrudgingly did give 
Their lives at war's behest. 

With flowers rare and beautiful, 
Let every grave be strewn 

For unto God whose cause they served, 
Not one shall be " Unknown." 

Not one forgotten in that day 
When He shall claim his own. 
When wakened by the trumpet's call 
They'll come before His throne. 

Unknown, amid the Nation's dead 
Unknown, by friend and foe 

Unknown — on earth — but not above 
For God, each soul doth know. 

Then loyal tribute let us pay 

To every soldier brave. 
And scatter flowers lavishly 

O'er known and unknown grave. 



:4' '^^i 




10 



THE SOLDIER'S REVERIE. 



Composed, and dedicated to the Comrades of the 125th Volunteer 
Infantry of Pennsjdvania in commemoration of their services to their 
country during the War of the RebelHon, by J. D. Hicks. 

Boys, I'm thinking of the camp fire 

On Potomac's grassy banks, 
When in days of rain and sunshine 

We were drilled with well-filled ranks. 
Since that time how many changes 

Have come o'er life's troubled waj'. 
And we view the past with sadness, 

With the memories of that day. 

Yet the flag, our glorious banner, 
Waves as then undimmed and bright. 

With its stars and stripes untarnished 
As the world's fair beacon light. 

When the order came, '' Fall in boys," 

For the march — we knew not where — ■ 
And the bugle sounded forward 

Proudly then with martial air, 
As we marched, and marched with gladness, 

Our young hearts were filled with cheer. 
Little thought we of the sadness 

That would soon our pleasures mar. 

Soon the marching led to battle, 

From our ranks there soon were borne. 
By the shots and shells of traitors. 

Comrades killed and sorely torn. 
Boys who bled, but never faltered 

In their march to duty's call. 
Men who knew that in the conflict. 

Many bra\c were bound to fall. 

We remember well the order 

For our final muster out. 
When for victory, home and country. 
The air was rent with cheer and shout. 
146 



147 

Yet the thought of our dear comrades, 
Who with us had marched away, 

Whom we left behind in sorrow, 
Bowed our heads in tears that day. 

When we reached our homes and fireside, 

Victory ours, the Union won 
From the schemes and hands of traitors. 

Our good work complete and done. 
Again we sadly thought of comrades. 

Who with us had marched away. 
Who* looked forward to the welcome 

We received at home that day. 

Oh, our country, blessed country. 

Precious blood it cost to save. 
And of treasures many millions. 

Yet 'tis worth all that we gave. 
'Tis a land of glorious freedom, 

Land that we have helped to save, 
Land of homes and land of comfort. 

Homes of free and homes of brave. 

And our flag, that dear old banner. 
Waves aloft undimmed and bright, 

With its stars and stripes untarnished, 
'Tis our own fair beacon light. 




2 <^ 
5 S 



^ ei s 






Q < 




-ON THE MARCH AND IN FIRE OF 

BATTLE" 

By DR. THEODORE L. FLOOD, 

SECOND LIEUTENANT, CO. C, ia5th REGIMENT, P. V. 
Theodore L. Flood, Second Lieutenant Company C. was born at 
Williamsburc Pa., in 1842. He enlisted as a private m Company C 
Tu rnh,T86., and was success,vely promoted to orderly Sergeant a 
Second Lieutenam. He was an efficient officer ^^^ .''''' f .^f^^f J. 
; h his regiment in all its marches and battles durmg Us whole term o 
ervice; when mustered out n. May 1863 he entered the ---t^ f ^ J 
Methodist Episcopal church; in later years he became the edito and 
publisher of the " Q.atau,uan," at MeadviUe, Pa., a .oun.al -^^.h -d r 
his vigorous administration, wielded a widely extended ^"A"*^"^^ "J 
ligio:. channels. As a public spirited citizen and ^J^^tlls^ 
speaker his name was presented by his ^ ^l^^^/^^^"; ^^^'^^..^ ["n 
as a prominent candidate for Congress in a recent contest fo'-^^^^^^^P"^^^" 

149 



"ON THE MARCH AND IN FIRE OF 
BATTLE"* 

By THEODORE L. FLOOD. 

When President Abraham Lincohi was organizing an army 
to defeat the Southern Confederacy he found no people more loyal 
to the old flag than in Pennsylvania, whose sons had been educated 
during all the life of the Republic to follow peaceful pursuits and 
to dwell in unity in their happy homes. At Huntingdon, the 
county-seat of Huntingdon County, a community of 4,000 souls 
nestled in a valley between the hills, located on the line of the 
Pennsylvania Central Railroad and the headquarters of the Hunt- 
ingdon and Broad Top Railroad Company, there was a prosperous 
community, and the blue Juniata River flowing by made it a 
delightful old town, as it is to this day. It was the home of John 
Scott, afterwards United States Senator; R. Milton Speer, after- 
wards a member of Congress, and R. Bruce Petriken, afterwards 
a State Senator, and of Hon. George D. Taylor, present Judge of 
the judicial district. These dignitaries, with a number of men of 
large wealth for the times, gave to the community a good deal of 
distinction in the commonwealth and inspired her citizens with a 
feeling of genuine pride in the town and its history. 

The call of the President in 1862 for volunteers to increase 
the army of the Union stirred and stimulated the hearts of the 
patriotic sons of Huntingdon and Blair Counties to such action 
that the 125th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was recruited 
from this territory. This chapter in the history of this regiment 
is laid among these young men as they organized and marched 
away to join the Union forces, in August, 1862. One of the 
most efifective and heroic soldiers of this regiment was Captain 
William W. Wallace, then associated with his uncle, R. B. Wigton, 

* This article is made up from records in a diary kept by Theodore 
L. Flood when he was a Lieutenant in Co. C, 125th Regiment, and now 
used for the first time. 
150 



151 

in coal mining operations in the Broad Top territory, with their 
offices located in Huntingdon. Captain Wallace invited the writer 
into his office, where he talked about the war and the duty of 
young men to stand up for the Government by responding to the 
call of the President, and as the only direct way to do this was by 
enlisting in the army, Captain Wallace suggested that we open 
books and recruit as many men as possible in one or more com- 
panies, and in his characteristic way also suggested that we ought 
to do it in the name of God and religion. So he proposed that 
we organize the Huntingdon County Bible Company, every man 
to take his Bible with his musket, and that when we enter the 
service we have company prayers in the morning after roll-call, and 
that the company ought to have a motto, which was selected then 
and there — " In God We Trust." This motto was afterwards 
placed on the coin of the United States at the Mint in Philadel- 
phia, and remains there to this day. It was further agreed that 
we should hang the American flag on the outer wall over the door 
of the office, and publish in the newspapers and by distributing 
circulars all over the county set forth our purposes and aims. 
When these preliminaries were arranged, Captain Wallace then 
said to me, in the most matter-of-fact way, " I will close the door, 
turn the key, and you and I will go into the back part of the office 
and kneel down together and pray to God for the success of this 
organization before a name is signed to the roll." Accordingly we 
then and there, with the door locked, knelt and prayed that God 
might direct the minds of the young, loyal, strong men to enlist 
at this time and place as soldiers in the United States army. The 
Captain was a Presbyterian, but was not accustomed to pray 
audibly, and I was asked to lead in audible prayer, which I did. 
When our devotions were ended the door was opened and the 
books were placed on the desk. Our names headed the list, and 
we invited young men who would join to subscribe their names to 
the roll. In a few days there were nearly two hundred names 
attached to that call. This was the gathering of men which made 
Company " C," and parts of other companies in the 125th Regi- 
ment. W^e reported to Governor Curtin that we were ready to 
march, and were accepted. 

When we reached Harrisburg we were all privates. Company 
" C " was the first organized. William W. Wallace was elected 
captain ; William B. Zeigler, former sheriff of Huntingdon 



152 

County, was made first lieutenant, and William F. AlcPherran was 
made second lieutenant. I was made first sergeant. John J. 
Lawrence, then superintendent of the Huntingdon and Broad Top 
Railroad Company, was elected captain of Company " F," and a 
few days later, when the regiment selected officers, he was made 
major. The colonel, Jacob Higgins, came from Blair County, 
and the lieutenant-colonel, Jacob S. Szink, from Altoona, Blair 
County. The adjutant, Robert M. Johnston, was from Williams- 
burg, Blair County. Ours was made Company '' C " and honored 
by being made color company, and George A. Simpson, of Hunt- 
ingdon, was made color-bearer. 

In less than three weeks from the time this regiment w^as 
recruited, it commenced active work and encountered exciting 
experiences, a part of which I v.ill give to the reader in this 
article. We were transported to Harrisburg, and from Harris- 
burg to Washington, on freig-ht cars. The battle of Bull Run was 
fought, and we helped for several days to throw up breastworks 
at Arlington Heights for the protection of W'ashington. and then 
marched to South Mountain, reaching there on Sunday evening, 
just as the battle of South Mountain was finished. W'q heard the 
roar of cannon and musketry most of the day, while marching 
toward the scene of conflict. W^e then took up the line of march 
on Monday, and, under the leadership of General McClellan, who 
commanded the army, and General Mansfield, as our corps com- 
mander, we marched to the battlefield of Antietam, where we 
went into that awful conflict early on the morning of Wednesday, 
the seventeenth day of September. While waiting in line of battle 
for orders to advance and fire. Adjutant Johnston, of our regi- 
ment, was mortally wounded and died in a few hours. The battle 
was on in full force. Confederate pickets were shooting down 
our officers, shells w^ere flying over our heads, horses and men 
lay dead on the field. We were ordered forward in line of battle, 
and Captain Wallace stepped out in front of the companv, waving 
his sword, and called out, "Boys, remember our battle-cry, 'In 
God We Trust.' " This was taken up as a battle-crv bv adjoining 
companies along the line, until we reached the edge of a woods, 
where we were halted and ordered to fire. The enemv met us with 
a heavy charge. We could see them coming in line of battle as we 
loaded and fired. General Mansfield fell mortall\- wounded just 
in the right front of our regiment while reconnoitrino-. The blood 



153 

from his wound reddened his long white beard. As we stood 
firing into the ranks of the enemy the second man to me, George 
A. Simpson, while bravely holding the tiag aloft, was hit with a 
bullet from a Confederate gun, which pierced his brain, and he 
fell dead. A second man picked up the flag, and he was shot 
down. A third, and he fell ; the fourth took it up, and he was 
shot and fell. Then Sergeant W. W. Greenland picked up the 
flag, stained with the blood of Simpson, and Captain Wallace, 
taking it in charge, carried it across the field to the rear of the 
nearest battery, and there he, aided by Captains Bell and 
McKeage and Lieutenant Thomas McCamant, rallied about two 
hundred of the regiment, who remained in support, while our 
batteries operated with deadly execution upon the enemy, during 
the rest of the conflict. 

The conflict was raging all along the line of the army ; the Con- 
federates were pressing us hard ; our line was broken, and a 
new line of battle was formed in the rear. Two hundred and 
twenty-nine men of our regiment were killed and wounded in about 
twenty minutes ; of these 84 were slightly wounded, but not dis- 
abled, and therefore were not reported. It was a dreadful struggle 
and we were thrust into the very furnace of battle. But, as 
another comrade has described the battle of Antietam in graphic 
style in this book, it will be my purpose to indulge in reminiscences 
of the regiment in this article, rather than in accurate historical 
detail. When evening came this great battle v/sls at an end, and 
the serious duty then fell upon the surviving soldiers to gather 
up the bodies of the dead and give them a respectable and Chris- 
tian burial, and to look with tender care after the wounded and 
dying, and minister to their wants, and it was not until then that 
we ascertained the full extent of the terrible loss that our regi- 
ment had suffered in killed and wounded, especially in the death 
of George A. Simpson, the wounding of his brother and disabling 
of others. Our losses were increased when, soon after this battle, 
Lieutenant McPherran, of Company " C," beloved by all his men, 
was stricken with disease and died. These calamities cast a gloom 
over the company that continued to the end of our enlistment. 
Very promptly Governor Curtin sent a commission as lieutenant 
to the writer to succeed Lieutenant McPherran, and I was mus- 
tered by General Crawford to fill this important place. Company 
" C " carried the flag of the regiment successfully on all our 



154 

marches and through two battles (Antietam and Chancellorsville), 
and it was the pride of all our men that we brought our colors 
back to Harrisburg, where we marched under its folds on the 
day we were honorably discharged from the service. 

General Lee very promptly led his army toward Richmond. 
To our surprise, it w^as found the second morning, after the 
eventful seventeenth of September, that he had vacated the field. 
General McClellan did not follow him closely, for our regiment 
remained at Antietam battlefield until Friday morning, Septem- 
ber 19th, engaged in looking after the wounded and burying the 
dead. Our first real regimental camp was, soon after this, located 
near Harper's Ferry, but a short distance from where John Brown 
made his famous raid and subsecjuently met his tragic death. We 
did picket duty on Loudon Heights and in the valleys below. No 
fires were allowed to burn on those heights in that month of Sep- 
tember ; the enemy were too near, and the fires would reveal that 
which we did not want them to know about us or our location. 

This proved to be a temporary camp, monotonous and quiet. 
A soldier's life runs from great excitement in battle to the extreme 
quiet of tent life in camp. We were on guard and picket duty, 
issuing rations and attending roll-call, passing inspection of arms, 
clothing and quarters, drilling in squads, companies, regiments 
and brigades ; doing duty at target practice, looking after the sick 
and occasionally burying the dead, for at the foot of Loudon 
Heights we laid to rest two men of Company " C " who died in 
bed as peacefully as if in the homes of their loved ones. 

We were in camp near Stafford Court House and Acquia Creek 
Landing during the latter part of the winter and in the spring. 
Our soldier life now commenced to be filled with new excitement. 
General McClellan had previously been retired and General Burn- 
side made Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Potomac. We 
were not called upon to take part in the conflict at Fredericksburg, 
but were held as a reserve that was never ordered into action on 
that bloody field. The soldierly desire to exchange the dreary 
life in camp for the active duties of the march and battle was 
manifest in our regiment. Nearly all the soldiers were young 
men, the blood flowed quickly in their veins, and at first it was a 
positive disappointment to many that we could not march with 
guns and ammunition into the battle. We could hear the cannon- 
ading in the distance on that fateful day. We expected to go, but 



155 

when we learned that the conflict was at an end and our army 
was repulsed, we settled back into quarters to wait patiently for 
the next move. 

After this great battle it was General Burnside's turn to retire 
from the command. General Hooker was advanced to his place. 
Up to this date it seemed that every battle was fought by a new 
commander. Pope at Bull Run ; McClellan at Antietam ; Burn- 
side at Fredericksburg, and now Hooker. The rank and file had 
high hopes that Fighting Joe Hooker would be a great success 
as commander of this army, because he had won fame among 
the men as a great general. 

About this time Al. Snyder, a fine telegraph operator, a mem- 
ber of Company " C " and of the writer's mess, was detailed to 
report to Hooker's headquarters for special duty. Snyder could 
read a telegram by the sound of the instrument. It was a rare 
accomplishment in those days, because he would not leave any 
telltale messages on paper for the enemy in case of a raid. The 
army officer in charge of the United States military telegraph 
service discovered his value and took him to Falmouth to be one 
of General Hooker's confidential telegraph operators. On the 
twenty-eighth day of March, 1863, I visited Snyder, when we 
each on horseback rode to the Rappahannock, and from the north 
side viewed Fredericksburg, the scene of the recent struggle. 
After our explorations we returned to sleep in a caboose, where 
the telegraph instrument clicked at intervals all the night long. 
I learned here that it would not be two moons until we would be 
in a great battle again. The Army of the Potomac was very 
promptly reorganized and fully equipped for the struggle. The 
strongest hopes of civilians and soldiers from the President down 
were centered in Hooker and his army. The disappointment at 
Fredericksburg called for great courage and better plans for the 
coming campaign, and everybody believed that they would be 
forthcoming. 

My curiosity was excited when I learned how little a man who 
was as close to Hooker as Snyder was knew about the interior 
workings of the great general's office, and how little he could tell, 
though we were confidential friends, of the plans of the campaign. 
On my return to camp I could give the boys general informa- 
tion, but very little that enlightened or satisfied them. 

The next morning after that visit was April the fourth, and it 



156 

was well remembered for years afterward, because there was a 
heav}' fall of snow in our part of old Virginia, which made the 
country look like a veritable winter, but on the following day, 
under the rays of the sun, it soon melted and left the roads almost 
impassable. 

One of the happy days of the 125th Regiment was April 10, 
1863. It was seven o'clock in the morning, when w^e were in 
line marching toward Stafford Court House, to be reviewed by 
President Lincoln. The music of the drum corps, the cornet 
bands, the aides-de-camp hurrying to and fro, and the long column 
of soldiers, soon led us to see that our brigade and division, indeed 
the whole of the Twelfth Army Corps, was moving to the open 
field. When we reached the place assigned to us, we were ordered 
at parade rest, and waited some three hours, when the President, 
with General Hooker, appeared, and Mrs. Lincoln following 
closely in a carriage. On their arrival, a salute of twenty-one 
rounds was fired from a battery on the hill. The officers of the 
line appeared in their best uniforms, with glittering shoulder- 
straps and well burnished swords. 

Following in the President's train was our corps commander. 
General Slocum ; General Geary, our division commander, and 
General Kane, who commanded our brigade. There were also 
General Williams and Generals Green and Knipe, and enough of 
other generals, colonels and officers to make a company. It was 
the first time the President had visited this part of the army. 
The soldiers gave him a generous reception. They cheered wildly, 
until all along the Confederate line in front of us curiosity was 
awakened as to what had taken possession of the Twelfth Army 
Corps. 

The President's personal appearance distinguished him among 
the multitude of officers by whom he was surrounded. Not a 
sign of being a soldier did he wear. He was of tall, slender form, 
a little bent forward at the shoulders, dressed in plain black, 
wearing a frock coat and a high silk hat, seated on a small bay 
horse, wdth his long legs hanging down until his feet nearly 
touched the ground. He was the most conspicuous person among 
the marshalled thousands on Stafford field that day. Every eye 
followed him in all his movements. The President, wdth General 
Hooker, rode up and then down in front of the lines of their 
proud soldiers, who stood at present arms. They then located 



157 

themselves on an elevated piece of ground, and the Army Corps, 
with General Slocum seated on his horse at the head of the col- 
umn, marched in review, by division, in close order. It was a 
magnificent array of pioneers, infantry, cavalry, artillery and 
ambulance corps, with officers on horseback and on foot. All with 
good cheer, firm step and heads erect, marched past Abraham 
Lincoln, the man they idolized, and the President whose call had 
brought every soldier into his place in line. He was an inspira- 
tion to the army, and his visit was worth an additional division 
to that corps. 

The return to camp ended a long and tiresome day, but every 
man had new nerve for the march to come, because he had seen 
President Lincoln. 

On the foUovvdng day began a series of alarms, but this was 
undoubtedly caused by the enthusiasm of the army and the appear- 
ance of the President. The following day cannonading and mus- 
ketry were heard in the direction of Stafford. Our regiment was 
ordered into line ready for the march, and after waiting for more 
than two hours we were ordered to quarters and the cry began, 
" false alarm." 

But these alarms grew more frequent as the days passed by. 
The officers commenced to send their best uniforms and dress 
swords home by express ; requests for furloughs were not being 
granted as heretofore. The soldiers going on picket duty were 
given stricter orders ; the lines were being drawn tighter, and 
army discipline grew more exacting. On April the fourteenth, 
very early in the morning, the regiment was aroused, beds were 
vacated and all the men were quickly in line. It meant that the 
officers were called to assemble at Colonel Higgins' headquarters. 
As they were gathered about the front of his tent the adjutant read 
an order from headquarters that every soldier should have five 
days' rations in his knapsack and three days' rations in haver- 
sacks — in all, rations for eight days. Each man was to have 
sixty rounds of cartridge in his cartridge box and enough in the 
wagons to make one hundred and fifty rounds to each man. We 
were also to be ready to move at a moment's notice. In other 
words, rest on our arms. Every man who had applied for a 
furlough now quickly sent word withdrawing the application, 
for no man with the spirit of a soldier desired to have his applica- 
tion in for a furlouch Avhen the order to march to the field of 



158 

battle had been issued and the very atmosphere of every company 
was that of war. 

Our A tents were struck and turned in to the quartermaster. 
The smaller shelter tents that each soldier could carry w^ere issued. 
Heavy rains commenced to fall that night, and for two days and 
nights the downpour of rain made the roads muddy and prevented 
the moving of heavy trains and artillery. It looked as if we were 
destined to remain in camp for some days, until the roads were 
passable. 

From the day I returned from my visit to Snyder in his tele- 
graph caboose we expected the army would move. In what direc- 
tion and for what destination nobody could tell, except in a general 
way we expected to go to battle. " On to Richmond " was a 
conspicuous and popular headline for newspapers, and it was a 
common topic in the conversation of restless politicians all over 
the North. It was often used in derision by men who opposed 
the war, because they thought the Army of the Potomac would 
never make a successful advance against General Lee. However, 
the time had come for another march and another battle. 

The common soldier knew that there was but one thing to 
do — obey orders, to do it cheerfully and with courage. At four 
o'clock on the morning of April the twenty-seventh the reveille 
called us from sleep to arms. At seven o'clock the Twelfth Army 
Corps, with full ranks, was in line on the road and marching to 
what proved to be the battle of Chancellorsville. We did not know 
where the battle would be fought nor when it would be fought, 
nor whether we would be in the fight or left as a reserve that 
would not be called into action at all. 

We marched about ten miles the first day. The roads were 
not in good condition, but sunshine and a favorable breeze 
improved them every hour. When night came the soldiers were 
footsore and weary, so that a rubber blanket for a mattress spread 
on the ground was a welcome bed. The march was resumed 
vigorously the following morning, and ended when the day was 
gone within a mile of Kelly's Ford. General Hooker and his staff 
passed our regiment while we were at dimier, at noon, which 
indicated that the whole army was on the march, and caused all 
sorts of rumors to pass along the line. 

We did not know where the army would make a stand or 
which armv. Xorthern or Southern, would make the attack. At 



159 

daylight on the twenty-ninth we could see what seemed to be a 
never-ending line of soldiers. We were marching in a great 
column, as we were the day before. The Eleventh Army Corps 
crossed the Rappahannock in the middle of the night, on pontoons 
which were placed during the previous evening. They were 
to form the right wing of the army in the battle, so they went 
over the river first. 

The Union cavalry captured a band of Confederate soldiers 
that morning a short distance from our regiment, and about a 
mile from the river. Among them was a lieutenant. And in the 
afternoon of the same day our cavalry swept down on sixty Con- 
federates who were building a bridge at the Rapidan, and made 
prisoners of all. 

After a march of about seven miles we reached the place 
on the Rapidan where our regiment, with most of the Twelfth 
Corps, marched across, at nine o'clock in the evening. It was a 
dark night and a dangerous crossing, but with a dark sky for 
a background, six bonfires burned brightly to light us on our way, 
making a weird and beautiful moving picture. 

We camped in the night on the south side of the Rapidan, 
while the rain fell in torrents, soaking clothing, blankets and food, 
but sleep was sweet to tired men, even in the enemy's country, 
and when we awakened early in the morning it seemed that the 
night had been too short. The thirtieth day of April had come, 
and we were again on the tramp, and kept moving until we made 
a junction with the Fifth Army Corps in front of the brick tavern, 
where we were ordered to camp. We learned later that it was the 
field of Chancellorsville, where great and daring deeds were now 
to take place. The cavalry of the Fifth Corps dashed up in rear 
of a company of Confederates while they were digging a rifle 
pit and captured the whole band, but not until they had killed one 
of our men and four horses, while they were making the charge. 
After we were adjusted in camp, I visited the prisoners and 
learned that there were one hundred of them, including eight 
officers. Here the 125th Regiment, for about a mile in front and 
to the right, was to do its part in the battle of Chancellorsville. 
This was to be our place in the long line of battle, and it demon- 
strated how pleasant memories and stern war come together. It 
was Friday morning and INIay Day. Our regiment was located 
in front of the brick tavern, to the right of the Plank Road. 



160 

Word was passed along the line that General Hooker had arrived 
during the night, and located his headquarters in the tavern. 

It was eleven o'clock in the forenoon when the advance of the 
Fifth Corps and ours, the Twelfth, marched out about a mile in 
front of the brick tavern. General Sykes' division had been firing 
on the enemy and drew their fire. The 125th Regiment was in 
advance of our corps. We unslung knapsacks, formed in line of 
battle and advanced across the field and through a swamp over- 
grown with underbrush and tall trees. At this time the Confed- 
erates and General Sykes' men were exchanging fire rapidly. 
Skirmish lines were driven in, the cannon roared, musketry fire 
was brisk in both armies, shells flew over our heads, and finally 
the Twelfth United States Regulars charged on a Confederate 
battery and were repulsed. Our regiment was supported by the 
rest of the brigade, and we made a junction with the right wing, 
which proved to be General Greene's line of battle. 

After we had marched within one-fourth of a mile of a Con- 
federate battery, a retreat was ordered and executed to the place 
where we had unslung knapsacks. Here we laid down flat on 
the ground under orders to await developments. In a few min- 
utes a retreat on double-quick was ordered to the camp we occu- 
pied the previous night, in front of the brick tavern. The Con- 
federate skirmishers followed us closely, and their artillery contin- 
ued firing until we made a stand. We quickly re-formed our line 
of battle and laid down, the Confederate fire passing over us. 

Immediately the Confederate cavalry made a charge down 
the Plank Road, while their infantry came out of the woods in 
front of us, at the same time making a charge on one of our 
batteries at the crossroads. They were driven back with grape 
and canister, and the 28th Pennsylvania charged on their rear. 
The Confederates engaged our artillery on our right and our 
infantry in supporting them made a charge and were repulsed. 
The battle of Chancellorsville was on, and as we held our position 
on the right of the Plank Road, General Geary rode up, waving 
his sword, and said, " For God's sake, get your men oft' that 
Plank Road. The Rebels are planting a battery up there and will 
sweep them away." 

On the night of May first, 1863, flic sky was clear and the 
moon was shining brightly. All nature told us that spring had 
come. But we were at war. The Eleventh Corps was on the right 



161 

wing" of the army, and General Howard was in command. The 
gauge of hattle was set, and we were now placed in the long line 
of soldiers where we were to do our part in the struggle. We 
heard General Hooker's order read to the army, urging every man 
to do his duty b}' fighting bravely for his country and the fiag. 

The soldiers all along our line commenced throwing up breast- 
works, by heaping poles and logs and stumps of trees. Then 
we dug up the earth with our bayonets and shoveled it upon the 
logs with our hands and the tin plates upon which we had eaten 
our plain meals. Late in the night shovels were distributed and 
used with a will, until we had built very satisfactory breastworks, 
which on the following days and nights proved a great protection 
from the fire of the eneni}-. When this work was done we laid 
down for a sleep, but we slept very little that night. The pioneers 
were in our front, and with steady blows from their axes felled 
the trees for about sixty yards in front of our breastworks, 
crossed them and made a tangled mass, over which no body of 
troops could come with any degree of speed. 

Early on Saturday morning our ears were greeted with the 
noise of cannon on the left, on the Plank Road. The Confederates 
had marched down by the Rank to the edge of the woods, when 
our boys opened fire on them with grape and canister and drove 
them back. W'e heard the moans of one man out in front and 
a little to the left of our regiment nearly all the forenoon. It was 
a Confederate soldier who had both legs shot ofif. His pitiful cries 
attracted attention from our men until noon, wdien he was carried 
to the rear of our lines and cared for. ~ 

All the forenoon our skirmishers were engaged in sharp firing 
with the skirmish lines of the enemy. About three o'clock in the 
afternoon our brigade was ordered out on double-quick, up the 
Plank Road, and our regiment was deployed in line of battle and 
advanced through the woods. A regiment of our troops in front 
of us opened fire with musketry on the Confederates. The under- 
brush was so thick and the woods so dense we did not know that 
they were our men and we fired a volley into their ranks. Our 
fire was suppressed by a captain in front of us coming back, 
waving his sword and yelling at the top of his voice to cease 
firing. Jerry Brenneman, of Company " C," was wounded in 
the forehead by a Confederate bullet immediately in front of me. 
He turned round dazed, dropped his musket and reeled down 
11 



162 

behind a tree, the blood flowing" down over his right eye, but the 
wound proved to be a scalp wound. We had not advanced far 
until a retreat was ordered, and we fell back to our intrench- 
ments. Immediately a firing of musketry beg"an on our right, in 
General Williams' division of our corps. It extended clear out to 
General Howard's corps, and continued with great fury on both 
sides until nine o'clock at night. General Greene's brigade of 
our division was marched on double-quick to support General 
Williams. The whole line on our right was engaged in fierce 
battle. The thunder and roar of cannon shook the earth, while 
deafening sounds of battle filled the air. The contest was 
renewed with great fury on the right wing of our army. Stone- 
v^all Jackson's men were hammering Howard's corps, and they 
kept it up until Howard's lines were turned and driven back. 
Many men ran wildly down and up against our lines. The firing 
in our front continued with fury, while we answered back with 
sheets of leaden hail. 

The turning of the right wing placed us between two fires. 
We were engaged with musketry firing in our front, with the 
Confederate grape and canister coming in from our rear. W^e 
soon discovered that the Eleventh Army Corps had broken. 
Howard's men ran down past us, some throwing away their guns 
and accoutrements that they might go more swiftly. By eleven 
o'clock the storm of battle seemed to have spent itself, but very 
soon the engagement was renewed, and at midnight word was 
passed that our right wing had regained their lost ground. 

■' We rested on our arms behind our breastworks until Sunday 
morning, the third day of Alay, dawned. lUit it was hardly 
daylight when the noise of musketry firing and the roar of cannon 
began again. The furies of war were flying in the air. \\'e 
seemed to be located right at the bend in our great line of battle. 
About eight o'clock the Confederates pressed the right wing of our 
army back again, which brought us between two fires. Indeed, it 
seemed like three fires, one from the front, one from the rear and 
one from the right wing. It was like a hurricane sweeping the 
face of the earth. The musketry firing and the roar of cannon 
were terrific in the extreme. It was not equalled by any noise 
that we ever heard frc^m the thunders of the skies. It was the 
surging and plunging of two great armies in deadly battle. Every 
inch of ground was strongly contested, but the right wing and 



163 

centre of our lines seemed to be back to back. Musket balls, 
grape and canister and shells flew around us like hail, but our 
intrenchments were a great protection. 

At last there was a lull in the firing, the noise was ceasing, and 
the awful battle was over. We found that Lieutenant Jesse H. 
Stewart, of Company " A," was killed by a shell, which struck 
him in the head while lying behind the breastworks. It seemed 
that he had a premonition of his death, for two days before the 
battle he handed his will to our chaplain, who was his brother, 
and said, " John, see that my will is executed. Take good care of 
my children, for I shall never come out of this battle alive." 

When all hope of gaining our lost ground on the right was 
gone, we were ordered to retreat on the road leading to the 
United States fording. This was done between raking fires of 
grape, canister, shells and bullets. There was a good deal of 
confusion attending the retreat, and when we got out of range 
of the fire the regiment was put in line of battle. The contest was 
over. The battle of Chancellorsville had been fought. Hooker 
and his army were defeated, but it was not such a defeat as had 
been seen on other fields, for General Stonewall Jackson, of the 
Confederate army, had been killed in the awful conflict between 
his men and General Howard's corps. It was said that his loss 
to the Confederate army was greater than the destruction of 
25,000 men. Next to General Lee, he was the greatest military 
genius and fighting general the Southern Confederacy had devel- 
oped. No greater loss could have come to the Confederate army 
but that of Lee himself. General Lee's army was never the same 
powerful manoeuvering and fighting machine after Stonewall 
Jackson's death that it was before. His name had been a perpetual 
inspiration to Lee's host, and he was the most dreaded by Union 
soldiers of all the Confederate commanders. So that, while we 
sufifered what writers of history called a defeat, it proved to be 
only a repulse, because Stonewall Jackson left no successor, and 
his death meant a great deal more to the Confederacy than all the 
Union killed and wounded who fell on that bloody field did to 
us. The repulse at Chancellorsville delayed the final victory, but 
our army had struck the Confederacy its hardest blow, and in this 
we won a great victory, while we lost the battle that day. The 
final triumph was delayed till Appomattox put the finishing stroke 
to the Rebellion. 




"THEV WILL NEVER EIGHT AGAIN. 



Comrade, Adieu I with you it is well, 
Vour marches and battles are ended. 
With tear-moistened eyes, 
We look up to the skies, 
Where, there is no funeral knell, 
But a patriot's welcome splendid. 




Wm. W. Wallace. 



WAR REMINISCENCES 

BY WM. W. WALLACE 

Captain of Company " C " 

I 25th REGIMENT 

Pennsylvania Volunteers 



Introductory 
In all previous wars and battles on land and sea, in which our country 
had engaged, her citizens were united and they fought the Indians and 
the French in Colonial days, from 1675 to 1753 ; the War of Inde- 
pendence, 1775 to 1783; Barbary, 1803; Tecumseh, 1804; England again, 
1812; Algeria, 1815; Seminoles, 1817 and 1835; Mexico, 1846, shoulder 
to shoulder, under one flag and for r.uitual protection and rights ; but a 
bitter controversy arose between the Northern and Southern states 
over the institution of Negro slavery and the right of a state to secede 
from the Union. 

165 



WAR REMINISCENCES 

¥ 

By WM. W. WALLACE, Captain of Company C, 125th Regiment, P. V. 

Slavery was introduced into the country by the landing of a 
cargo of slaves from Africa at Jamestown, Va., in 1619, and from 
that small beginning it took root and spread throughout the South, 
until it became a national issue which admitted of no compromise 
by civil laws and regulations, and finally led the tw^o sections to 
engage in civil war, which raged through four years, from 1861 
to 1865, and proved one of the most sanguinary wars in human 
history. 

Immediately following the election of Abraham Lincoln to the 
Presidency of the United States, mainly by Northern votes, the 
Southern states seceded from the Union and inaugurated a South- 
ern Confederacy, of which Jefferson Davis became the President. 
They quickly raised a formidable army and commenced hostilities 
by firing upon the United States flag at Fort Sumter, S. C. This 
act aroused the whole North, and in response to President Lin- 
coln's call for troops to suppress the rebellion and preserve the 
Union and maintain the authority of the United States Govern- 
ment, volunteers by thousands promptly enlisted to battle for 
their country and avert the impending calamity of disunion. 

The results of the first year's struggle were discouraging, and 
the contest had assumed such immense proportions that another 
appeal for 300,000 additional volunteers was made by President 
Lincoln, July i, 1862, and it was in compliance with this appeal 
that the 125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, had its origin, 
and took part in the struggle and helped to make history. It was 
recruited in Blair and Huntingdon Counties (including about 
forty from Cambria County), and its membership comprised all 
the varied occupations and professions of civil life. They were 
all v.'orthy sons of patriotic sires, who for intelligence, bravery, 
love of country and devotion to dut\- were not surjiassed — if 
equalled — by any regiment in the service. Their forefathers had 
fought and established a free and indejiendent nation on this con- 
tinent, and l)cqueathed to them a priceless lieritage. consecrated to 
166 



167 

virtue, liberty, independence and national unity, and it was these 
inherited military instincts and patriotic impulses which prompted 
this later generation to deeds of heroic daring and unselfish devo- 
tion when their imperilled country called them to the rifle pit and 
cannon's mouth in its defense. As other writers in this volume 
will narrate events in circumstantial detail in connection with the 
regimental service, it is not unlikely that some portions of my 
narrative will be found better told by them ; but I will confine this 
article mainly to incidents with which I was personally identified, 
and as all the facts leading up to the formation of a regiment are 
properly part of its history, some matters, personal, may be 
deemed appropriate to allude to in this narrative of events. 

At the time of President Lincoln's call for additional volun- 
teers I was residing in Huntingdon, Pa. His previous calls had 
been more than filled, and the need of more troops was not realized 
until the return of the Army of the Potomac from an unsuccessful 
attempt to capture Richmond made it apparent that the war was 
going to tax all the resources of the North in men and money 
to bring it to a successful issue. The need was imperative and the 
duty was manifest, and further hesitation and delay would have 
been recreancy. I therefore came to a prompt decision to enlist, 
and issued an appeal to the public, as follows : 

TO MY COUNTRYMEN. 

Huntingdon County is moving too slow, and being persuaded that 
I am actuated by an eye single to God's glory, and my country's wel- 
fare, I am led thus publicly to ask : 

Who controls the issues of battles? 

To what cause shall we attribute the Bull Run panic and slaughter 
and other reverses ? 

(God assuredly was not with us to direct in council, or to strengthen 
our hearts.) 

In responding to OUR COUNTRY'S CALL for more men, let us 
humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and so deport us that he will 
dwell with us, guide our counsel, go out before us, and strengthen our 
hearts in the shock of battle. I therefore propose to you, my country- 
men, to raise a company, every man of which shall take his BIBLE with 
his musket, and go out in His fear. 

All who will unite with us in this spirit, will report themselves at 
once to the undersigned, and have their names enrolled. 

Wm. W. Wall.vce. 
Huntingdon, Pa., July 30, 1862. 



168 

AMth the active co-operation of several ardent comrades (nota- 
bly Theodore L. Flood, a }onng student of divinity : J. Randolph 
Simpson, a law student, who was badl}- wounded at Antietam, and 
his brother, George A. Simpson, who became regimental color- 
bearer, and was killed at Antietam, and. others less conspicu- 
ously), we had the satisfaction of enrolling in my office in a few 
days 170 men, one hundred of whom formed a company organiza- 
tion and elected the writer as captain, SheriiT William' B. Ziegler 
first lieutenant and William F. .AlcPherran second lieutenant. The 
remaining seventy then distributed themselves among other com- 
panies of the regiment then in process of formation. 

Transportation was furnished us via the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road in box cars to Harrisburg, and on August 11, 1862, we were 
mustered into the service of the United States as Company " C," 
125th Regiment, Pennsylvania A'olunteers. for nine months. 

Mine was the color company, and was also known as the Bible 
company, because every member of it had been presented with a 
pocket Bible by the good people of Huntingdon, in consequence 
of a suggestion made in my public circular, that we should carry 
our Bibles in camp with our muskets. 

The regimental organization was etl'ected by the election and 
appointment of Jacob Higgins, colonel ; Jacob Szink, lieutenant- 
colonel ; John J. Lawrence, major; Doctors John Feay and F. B. 
Davidson, assistant surgeons; Rev. John D. Stewart, chaplain; 
\\'illiam C. P.ayley, quartermaster, and Robert U. Johnston, adju- 
tant. 

We left Camp Curtin on Saturday, August 16, 1862, at 6 
P. M., reached Baltimore by rail at 5 a. .m. Sunday { where Com- 
pany " C's " first public act was to fall in line for a short service 
of prayer). Leaving there at 8 a. m., we arrived in Washington. 
D. C, at II A. M., August 17. and quartered that night in \Vash- 
ington, D. C. barracks. General Casey in command. The next 
day, Alonday. August 18. crossed the long bridge over the IV^to- 
mac into A'irginia, and camped that niglit at Hunter's Chapel. A'a.. 
General Whipple in command, and remained in that viciniiv until 
on Tuesday. August 2f.. we marched to 1-ort Bernard, where we 
were drilled and placed .m picket duty. Our first experience and 
close contact with war's horrors was on the picket line. August 30 
at the second battle of Bull Run. in which the Cnion armv, under 
(ieneral P.^pe. was dc>leate<l. and we were hourly expecting the 



169 

Confederates to follow up their victorA by an assault on our inner 
line, in an effort to capture Washington. At that period of the 
war there were many in that city who were disloyal and in secret 
communication with the Confederates, and great vigilance was 
enjoined upon all Union officers along the picket line, to see that 
none passed in or out without the countersign. During the Ijattle 
and the day following I was in command of a picket line detail 
posted across a road leading to the battlefield from Washington, 
with strict orders to pass no civilians out. On the morning after 
the battle a closed carriage drove up. containing some gentlemen 
from W^ashington. who represented that thev were carrying succor 
for the wounded, which on investigation I found to consist of a 
bottle of brandy, already partly used by themselves. I recognized 
them as men of high social standing, but I told them of my orders, 
and, paying no heed to their expostulations, bade the driver turn 
his horses and go back to Washington. Later in the day the 
same party returned, escorted by a young officer in a new uni- 
form, who rode up to me pompously and said with an authorita- 
tive air, " Pass these gentlemen through the line." I said, " Who 

arc you? "" His reply was. " I am Lieutenant , and aide 

on the staff of General ." My reply was, " I cannot take 

mv orders from you, sir ! and these gentlemen must return to 
Washington," wdiich they accordingly did. The young officer, tak- 
ing my name, graciously promised to report me for a summary 
court-martial ; but I never saw or heard from him again. The 
succeeding five days were passed in an attitude of uncertainty as 
to the enemy's intentions ; but at length it became evident that 
they had abandoned their attempt on Washington and were mov- 
ing northward, and the Union army, having been quickly reor- 
ganized under General McClellan, who had been again placed in 
command, started on Saturday, September 6, and followed them 
cautiously into Maryland, with the Potomac River between. Our 
first halt was at Rockville, which we reached Sunday, September 
7, and left on September 9, passing through Ijamsville. We 
reached Frederick September 13. and camped there that night. 
On Sunday morning, September 14, at daybreak, we marched 
from Frederick to the South Mountain battlefield, which we 
reached long after midnight, following an exhausting march, and 
stretched our weary bodies on the ground for a few hours' rest 
until davbreak, when a renewal of the conflict was expected. An 



170 

incident of this march will practically illustrate its weariness. 
Just as we were starting-, a foraging party in passing handed 
me three roasting ears in the husk, which I thrust into my haver- 
sack. About nine hours later, say three o'clock, they had been 
increasing hourly in weight, and I threw one ear away. About 
seven p. m. another ear was dropped by the roadside, and about 
eleven p. m. the third and last ear was too heavy, and was dropped, 
and at about 1.30 a. m. when we reached the battlefield and broke 
ranks, I dropped in the nearest furrow with a clod of earth for 
a pillow, and slept without rocking. Only about sixty of the 
regiment were able to hold out to the end, but the remainder came 
straggling in from the wayside fence corners at early morning. 
But the enemy, having suffered heavily, had withdrawn, leaving 
us in possession of the field. The Union loss in that battle was 
433 killed, 1,806 wounded. Among the killed was General Reno. 
A wounded soldier with a shattered arm. who was accompanying 
the ambulance containing the dead General to the rear, shouted to 
us in passing, " Hurry up, boys ! You are going to catch h- — 1 up 
there." We knew there was zvanii work going on ahead, and his 
strenuous ejaculation was full of gruesome suggestiveness, but 
fortunately I suppose for us. on reaching the summit the worst 
was over for that occasion, the enemy having retreated. Then fol- 
lowed many hours of suspense, marching, halting and manoeuver- 
ing on both sides. Tuesday, September 16, at 11 p. m., we left 
Keedyville and reached Antietam battlefield at about one or two 
o'clock A. M., and rested until daybreak near George Lines' farm- 
house. At early dawn on that eventful Wednesday, September 
17, we were aroused from our very brief slumbers by the sounds 
of the opening conflict, and with no time to fortify our empty 
stomachs with " coffee and hardtack," were led to the front and 
placed in position near the centre of a widely extended line of 
battle and directly in front of the Dunker church. The Confed- 
erate and Union armies, like two great giants, then grappled in a 
deadly struggle for the mastery. There had been some prelim- 
inary fighting in some parts of the field on the day previous, but 
it was not until the 17th that the main forces of both armies met 
for the final and decisive results, and war statistics prove this to 
have been the bloodiest one-day battle of the war. It surpasses 
the descriptive power of pen or imagination to convey an adequate 
idea of the horrors of such an encounter between such masses of 



171 

brave and delcrmined men bent on mutual extermination; but 
some conception of the fearful carnage that resulted may be 
formed from the official reports, which give the Union loss as 2,010 
killed and 10.459 wounded and the Confederate loss in killed and 
wounded as 13,687, making a total loss of 26,156. Of our own 
regiment who went out with us that morning, 229 were killed or 
wounded, of whom 84. being slightly wounded but not disabled 
from further service, were not officially reported, making the 
casualties over 30 per cent, of the number engaged. It was with 
saddened hearts that we contemplated the vacant places in our 
ranks so lately filled by these gallant comrades, and realized that 
we were to see their faces and enjoy their companionship no 
more, but thev had fallen in a noble cause as martyrs for their 
country's weal. Among the first to fall while directing our 
advance movement was our corps commander, that gallant old 
war veteran, Major-Cxeneral Mansfield, whose loss was keenly felt 
by everv soldier in his command. He had only recently been 
assigned to the command of our corps, and my first sight of him 
was^on Mondav's march, September 15th. We had been halted 
and kept standing for some time exposed to a sweltering sun, 
when a venerable, white-haired officer came galloping along the 
line, and, noticing this oversight, exclaimed, " Why are the men 
kept standing in the sun?" and immediately directed us^to be 
moved to the w^elcome shade of a woods close by. Thi's was 
Mansfield, and the incident revealed his considerate care for his 
men. but he was not to be with us long, for early on Wednesday 
morning he was mortalh" wounded in the immediate vicinity of 
our regiment, and the melancholy privilege fell to the lot of some 
of our comrades to help him from his horse and carry hmi ten- 
derly to the rear and deliver him to the care of others, by whom 
he was conveved to the field hospital for surgical care, but before 
the sun set that day his patriotic soul had entered upon a "Sol- 
dier's Rest on the Eternal Camping Ground." 

The loss of our genial and gallant young adjutant. Robert 
N Johnston, was also deeply lamented. At the time he was 
wounded his emphatic expression of vexation at bemg obliged 
to go to the rear to have his wound dressed caused his comrades 
some temporary amusement, but alas ! his wound proved to be 
more serious than we supposed, and his young life was ended 
in a few hours. Mv last recollection of him on the field just 



172 

before he received his deatli wound was his salutation in passing, 
and in connection therewith he waved a pair of gauntlet gloves 
which he had picked up, and exclaimed, " It is a rebel major-gen- 
eral's." I learned subsequently that he handed them to Colonel 
Higgins, and that the dead Confederate officer to whom they 
belonged was Colonel H. B. Strong, of the 6th Louisiana. 
Another incident that happened about this time impressed itself 
upon ni}- memory. Criah D. Hoffman, of Company " C," was the 
spokesman for a grotip of yotmg men who called upon me at 
Huntingdon and informed me that he and his comrades had 
decided to go \vith me if 1 enlisted. The proposition, coming at 
the time it did and the manner of it, influenced me to a prompt 
decision, and this was my first acquaintance with Uriah. 

( )n our advance movement upon the Uunker church woods, 
into which the enemy had retreated, we marched over a Confed- 
erate officer who had fallen and been left by his men, in the frenzy 
of the excitement of battle. Criah was in the act of thrusting 
his bayonet into him when I arrested his arm. AIv attention was 
then engrossed with other strenuous duties of the conflict, and 
that is my last recollection of him. I never saw him again dead 
or alive. After the battle he was not among the survivors at 
roll-call, and we did not identif\ his body among the dead we 
buried, nor And him at the hospital among the wounded, and. sup- 
posing hiiu to have been captured, 1 reported him on the rolls as 
missing. His fate remained a mystery to me for vears, until 
happening to allude to the matter in the presence of David Hen- 
derson, of Ct)mpany " C," he informed me that L riah was next to 
him in the ranks and he saw him shot and killed, and not being 
l)resent when my inquiries were made, he was not aware that the 
fact was not known, but it appears that the body was identified 
by some one, and rests j)roperly marked among other Union 
patriot dead in the National Cemetery at Sharpsburg. 

Sergeant (leorge A. Simpson, our regimental color-bearer, 
was another martyr who fell at his post of duty while liravclv 
bearing the flag aloft. When he was shot down. anntlK'r comrade 
of the color guard. Private luigene Hablits. of L"omj)anv " I," 
grasped the colors and was also struck down bv a bullet, which 
cripjiled him for life. The general impression is that two or three 
other conu'ades of the color guard were killed or wotmded in 
handling the flag, but as the color guard was made up of details 



173 

from various companies of the regiment, I have no records at hand 
to enable me to name them. The manner of its coming into my 
hands I will state later on, but at this juncture an eventful circum- 
stance transpired. The Confederates were largely concealed in 
the west woods, upon which we were advancing from the open 
field, and we had not penetrated much beyond the borders of the 
woods when (in my immediate front) I caught sight of a flag 
indistinctly through the thickets and tree branches which looked 
alarmingly like a Union flag, and to assure myself that we were 
not, through some blundering tactics, firing upon Union soldiers, 
I hastily advanced in front of my own companv for a closer 
inspection, and while intent on that investigation a retrograde 
movement wdiich had commenced on the left wing of the regi- 
ment rapidly extended along the whole line, and it was a most 
tmwelcome surprise that greeted my eyes on facing about, after 
satisfying myself that it was indeed a Confederate flag, to behold 
the whole regiment melting away. It seems that an order had 
been issued to retreat and re-form in the rear of our batteries, to 
allow them to operate upon the woods. This order had not been 
heard, and hence the disorder that ensued in carrying it out. My 
own impression always has been that it was a grave mistake for 
the regiment to have advanced unsupported so far beyond our reg- 
ular line of battle and into a dense woods occupied by the enemy, 
until it had been previously and thorou_g"hly shelled by our bat- 
teries. The first comrade whom I overtook was David Kuhn, of 
Company " C," who seemed to have a scalp wound, which did not 
disable him from w^alking. I laid my hands encouragingiv upon 
his shoulder, and told him to make his way to the field hospital. 
The next object that immediately claimed my attention was Ser- 
geant Walter W. Greenland approaching me with the flag in his 
possession, which he had just received from one of the color 
guard, who had been wounded. As Walter was not one of the 
color guard, I relieved him of it, to use it in rallying the regiment. 
The nearest Union battery, as closely as I can estimate the dis- 
tance, from the spot where I took possession of the flag was 
about 400 yards, and to avoid being made too conspicuous a tar- 
get for the watchful enemy at such close range across that open 
field, I prudently kept the flag furled until I reached the rear of 
the battery nearest the cornfield, and there unfurled it for a rally- 
ing point for the scattered comrades. 




"■ Oh, Captain 1 it is John 



Among the slain at Antietam was John S. McCoy, of Company C, 125th Regiment, P. V. Exposure to 
the sun had so changed his features and color that his Captain did not know him, until William R. McCoy 
approached and identified his brother. 



175 

The first comrade to greet me on my arrival was Captain F. 
M. Bell, who excitedly exclaimed, " Captain, this is murder ! " 
(It was a new and tragic experience to him, and the loss of many 
of his brave men afifected him deeply.) With the aid of Captain 
Bell and Captain McKeage and Lieutenant Thomas McCamant 
(who in later years was honored in being elected Auditor-General 
of Pennsylvania), we soon had a formidable number of the men 
rallied and aligned at that point. The other portion of the regi- 
ment was rallied by the field officers and did good service at 
another battery, nearer the Smoketown road, which also was 
threatened, but meanwhile all our batteries had opened with tell- 
ing effect, and our manifest readiness to receive and repel their 
assault under changed conditions led the enemy quickly to aban- 
don all attempts to come " out in the open." The combat then 
became an artillery duel across the intervening space, and we 
awaited further developments before risking more lives in another 
effort to dislodge them from their entrenchments, and so ended 
that day's fight. The next day, for some reason, the conflict was 
not renewed, and we proceeded to gather in the wounded and 
bury the dead, thousands of whom. Union and Confederate, were 
thickly strewn along the battle line for miles. But the whole of 
this sad duty devolved upon Union soldiers, as the Confederates, 
for reasons no doubt justified by their losses and impending 
defeat, had retreated and left to us the care of their wounded 
and dead, and these were cared for with that consideration and 
respect which all true soldiers will have for a brave and fallen 
foe. Early on the morning of the i8th I accompanied a detail in 
search of my own company's killed and wounded. Among the 
dead was David Kuhn, whom I had directed to go to the hospital 
to have his wound dressed. Another bullet had probably reached 
him before he had proceeded many steps on his way. There were 
two brothers in my company, named John S. and William R. 
McCoy. William was with me on this detail, and while standing 
over a corpse which I did not at first recognize, William came up, 
and with an instantaneous glance of recognition he exclaimed, in 
most pathetic tones, " Oh, Captain ! it 's my brother John." 
Nicholas Decker was our next " find." Stretched upon the ground 
with a badly shattered leg, he had been lying there helpless and 
exposed all these weary hours. All that hospital care and skill 
could do was done for him, but he lingered and died October nth. 



177 

By a strange coincidence, I came across a young Confederate sol- 
dier from Georgia in the west woods, from which we had been 
repelled the day before, who had a leg wound similar to Decker's, 
and had been left helpless and alone by his retreating comrades 
under the exigencies of battle. He was suffering from thirst, and 
to my intense regret I discovered that the last drop in my can- 
teen had been used. My search for other comrades was not yet 
ended, and carried me so far from the spot and consumed so 
much time, that when I returned to have him brought in I was 
unable to find him, and supposed others had carried him in ; but to 
this day that young soldier's uncertain fate remains as a sad mem- 
ory, for there was a refinement and gentleness about him that 
appealed powerfully to my sympathy, and, living or dead, it would 
have been a relief to me to have had him know that I returned to 
have him humanely cared for. 

In this connection a letter received from General John B. Gor- 
don, who commanded the Georgia troops on that day, is of his- 
toric interest. It was written during his last illness by dictation to 
his son Frank, and addressed to me, with the kindest expression of 
personal regard, and says that he was carried from the field of 
Antietam unconscious, and deeply regrets his inability to furnish 
the information desired. He got five wounds about the time we 
penetrated the woods and delivered our volleys, and it was to 
obtain reliable data for our history from " his side of the fence " 
that I had written him. 

My visit to the barn hospital when darkness set in left some 
unfading memories. The amputated limbs strewn around out- 
side made a ghastly sight under the glare of the torchlights, 
and the audible sufferings of the maimed and wounded comrades 
and the comatose condition of others would have made the voca- 
tion of a soldier for empty honor or fame utterly abhorrent to 
me. But we were actuated by higher motives, and the righteous- 
ness of our cause justified the sacrifice. Threading my way 
carefully among the cots, I came to one that claimed my special 
interest. The occupant had just aroused from a condition of 
stupor, and with returning consciousness of great pain. He was a 
young law student from Huntingdon. The body of his brother, 
George A. Simpson, our color-bearer, was awaiting burial, and 
the parents had no other son. The surgeon, who had pronounced 
his wound mortal, was prevailed upon to diagnose the case more 
12 



178 

carefully, and made the discovery that the bullet, instead of going 
straight through a vital organ, had been diverted, took its line 
of direction around by the ribs and came out from the back nearly 
opposite its point of entrance. The surgeon then said, " His life 
can probably be saved by careful home nursing," and by a favor- 
ing Providence and months of careful " home nursing," J. Ran- 
dolph Simpson, attorney, at Huntingdon, was spared for a life of 
usefulness and honor in the legal profession and to become an 
influential member of the Presbyterian Church, but he does not 
expose his scars to the public gaze, and few of the later genera- 
tion know what it cost him to help save the nation. 

There were many more good and true men lying there and 
elsewhere of my own and other companies — too man}- in number 
to make special allusion to here, but their names will have hon- 
orable mention in the roster of the regiment, which will be 
appended to this volume. 

Friday morning, September 19th, we got our marching orders, 
and by that time one individual discovered that he was very 
hungry. To the best of my recollection, I had been without food 
or cofifee since the preceding Tuesday night fan interval of three 
nights and two days — about sixty hours). This was owing to 
two causes, one of which was the preoccupation of body and 
mind under the exciting conditions which prevented my giving 
thought to sustenance in the earlier part of the fast ; and the other 
reason was the mysterious disappearance of my cook, with my 
haversack and provender (and a travelling blanket, for I passed 
the nights with only the open sky for a covering). In this con- 
nection I may as well relate an amusing episode in my experience. 

I did not relish my coffee in a tin cup, and had stopped at a 
farm house to purchase a common earthen cup, such as you pay 
about six cents for at any country store. The good woman said 
her daughter had a cup she would sell, and when produced it 
proved to be a fine china cup, a Christmas gift, inscribed, " A 
token of affection." It was ridiculoiisly unsuitcd for mv purpose, 
but gallantr}- prevented my saying so. Having placed it in my 
haversack, I inquired chc price, and when informed that it cost 
$2.50. paid it. This was on our way to Antietam, and about the 
same time a tall nmliAtto accosted me, offering his services as cook 
and luggage carrier. We quickly struck a bargain. When asked 
his name he replied. "Juan kVrnandez Miles Ferdinand Hughes," 



179 

which for convenience I abbreviated to " Aliles." When we went 
into battle at Antietam, I left him in charge of my blankets and 
haversack, which contained my provisions and this china cup. 
After the battle Aliles had disappeared, and with him all my traps 
and the cup. His absence remained a mystery for about eight 
years, when we accidentally met, and the recognition was mutual. 
I hailed him and said, " Why, Juan Fernandez :\Iiles Ferdinand 
Hughes, where have you been, sir ! " With a grin extending 
from ear to ear, he replied, " Well, Cap'n, w'en you lef me back 
dar alone wid de traps in dat woods it was all right 'til dem ar 
bullets cum a wizzen' and de shells a screechin' and tearen' tro' de 
branches and a plov.in' up de groun', and den I jus' remembe' dat 
my good ole mudder hadn't seen me for a good w'ile an' mus' be 
wantin' to see me mighty bad, and so I cut a straight streak for 
hum." The war had long since ended, and I forgave Miles for the 
loss of my traps and " token of affection."' 

Tust before starting on Friday morning, while the men were 
in line, it became necessary to appoint a new color-bearer to suc- 
ceed Sergeant Simpson, who had yielded up his life while carry- 
ing the flag. It was recognized as a hazardous trust, and I felt a 
delicacy in making its acceptance obligatory. They were all brave 
men, and any one of the sergeants or corporals could safely have 
been entrusted with it, but I decided to leave it to their voluntary 
action, and therefore called for a volunteer. After a brief pause. 
Sergeant Frank AA'attson stepped out from the ranks. The 
appointment was ratified by the colonel, and this act placed Watt- 
son in the line of promotion, and, following the death of Lieu- 
tenant McPherron, and the resignation of Lieutenant Ziegler, 
Wattson was commissioned as first lieutenant, and Sergeant 
Theodore L. Flood was commissioned as second lieutenant. I 
place this statement on record here in explanation of a matter 
that was never clearly understood. Sergeant Greenland would 
have been my choice for the position for the share he had m the 
recovery of the flag on the field, but ^^^attson ranked him as third 
sergeant, and his prompt action secured it. (Greenland's sub- 
stantial recognition, however, came in later years, in a way that I 
will explain in another connection in this narrative.) On the 
march one of the comrades, discovering that I was nearly fam- 
ished, shared his hardtack with me. 

We arrived at Harper's Ferry about noon on the 19th, and 



180 

were kept shifting to and fro Ijctween jMaryland Heights and 
Pleasant Valley until October 3d, during which time much sick- 
ness prevailed and many died from camp fever, etc. On Novem- 
ber 1st we crossed the Potomac and camped in Loudon Valley, 
where we were occupied in daily drills and on picket duty until 
December loth, when we again got marching orders, and reached 
Bowlsborough through Thoroughfare Gap on that day, thence 
passing through Leesburg December nth and Fairfax December 
15th, reached Dumfries December i6th, and then pitched our tents 
at Fairfax Station for some weeks, which were spent in drill and 
picket duty. On January 20th we were at Dumfries, January 226. 
at Shipping Point, and from January 24th to March 24th we were 
encamped near Stafford Court House. During this interval a case 
of conscience was presented for me to solve. 

A CASE OF CONSCIENCE. 

One Saturday evening, following a long resting spell, an 
order was issued from headquarters to be ready with rations and 
arms to march next morning (Sunday). Our orderly sergeant 
had conscientious views on the sanctity of the Sabbath, and was 
opposed to any marching or work on that day that was not strictly 
necessary, and, coming to my tent, expressed his convictions that 
the movement would not prosper. I consented to let him call 011 
General Kane and argue the point with him, which he did, but 
returned, saying that the order was issued higher up, and General 
Kane said he was not responsible for it, and, such being the case, 
his duty as a soldier was to obey. 

We marched all day Sunday, did not find the eneni}- we were 
in search of, slept that night under the sky, marched back to our 
camp on Monday, and then learned, to our vexation, that the wary 
enemy had attacked the station in our absence, destroyed some 
property and carried away provender. The sergeant's intuitions 
seem to have been prophetic, for if we had rested on Sundav we 
should have saved our property on Monday. 

The tragedies and hardships of war were occasionally relieved 
by incidents of a humorous character. While we were in winter 
quarters near Stafford Court House, one of the officers of our 
regiment was detailed for court-martial duty, and went into the 
town to secure suitable quarters, and presently returned for his 
luggage in quite jubilant mood, and informed us in glowing terms, 



181 

which ahnost made us homesick, that he had discovered the nicest, 
cosiest, homehke place in all the great United States (with the one 
exception of the home he had left in Pennsylvania). The family 
consisted of a mother, who was a lady of most attractive manners, 
and two charming daughters, cultured, genial and accomplished 
housekeepers ; rooms neat and clean, table first-class, etc., etc. A 
few days after his departure, while I was making my rounds as 
officer of the day, a sad-faced officer came into camp carrying his 
traps, of whom in surprise I asked the why and wherefore. " Is 
the court-martial over so soon? " " Oh, no," said he, " but I am 
o-oing to tent it with my comrades and live on army rations and 
attend to the court-martial duties too." This called for an 
explanation, which he gave me as follows : 

" Everything was just lovely for a time, until some relatives 
visited the family from South Carolina, and to-day at mealtime 
the conversation turned upon the war, and remarks were made 
aspersing the Union side, which in self-respect I was compelled to 
reply to, and one thing brought on another until the temper of all 
was aroused, and a climax was reached by one of these charming 
daughters bouncing up in a rage and calling me a good-for-noth- 
ing Yankee cut-throat, and vanishing from the room. Do you 
blame me for coveting my old quarters ?" " Of course I don't ; 
pass in," I replied. 

" THE FIRST FALL." 

From the humorous point of view I claim to have been prob- 
ably the first one in the regiment " to fall " on the advance to 
Dunker church, but it was not caused by a bullet or shell. My 
company was approaching a fence about three rails high, and to 
be in readiness to align it properly on the other side, I took a 
running jump to clear it. My sword scabbard catching on the top 
rail, I plunged headforemost over it to the ground. Fortunately 
the only injury sustained was a bad shaking up, and I quickly 
reassured my men, who thought I had been "plugged" by a 
sharp-shooter. 

BURIED ALIVE. 

During our temporary stay at Stafford Court House I occu- 
pied a " sugar-loaf" tent, having a tripod in the centre from 
which to hang a kettle, with fire underneath for cooking and heat. 



182 

and an opening at the top for the smoke to ascend. The boys had 
burrowed and built themselves cave cabins of various sizes and 
shapes, with such materials as they had gathered, such as rails, 
saplings, tree branches, leaves and earth. I, with the aid of a 
Virginia colored lad, had constructed two bean-pole cots on 
opposite sides of the tent, one for the lad and the other for myself. 
One evening a heavy snowstorm set in, and I turned in to my cot 
in anticipation of an undisturbed rest, sheltered from the storm 
and thankful that it Avas not my turn out on the picket line on 
such a night. I was soon wrapped in slumber too profound for 
dreams, and therefore not dreaming of an impending catastrophe, 
which came with startling suddenness, for in the dead of night, 
probably about two o'clock, I was aroused by a shout of alarm 
from my darkey boy. " Cap'n, de tent is comin' down ! " and, sure 
enough, I had barely time to hustle myself under the tripod, 
where the boy was alread}- ensconced, when the whole tent came 
crashing down as flat as a pancake under an accumulated weight 
of snow, and there we were, shut in like two rats in a trap. To be 
turned out of a warm bed and have to burrow your chill way out 
into the open in mid-winter, and face a blinding snowstorm in the 
night, half clad, and exhume your house from under an avalanche 
of snow and build it up again in cheerless gloom and darkness 
was an experience not to be envied. In fact, it was literally a 
" wet blanket " spell thrown over my hopes and anticipations of a 
night of shelter and repose, for my fire was out and my blankets 
very wet. 

On February 226., 1863, I was ordered to report at brigade 
headquarters at Stafford Court House, as field officer of the day. 
It being Washington's birthday, the officers of the brigade decided 
to commemorate it by some conventionalities, and, ])rocuring a 
large vessel, they filled it with a combination of liquors, lemons, 
■etc., which they called '' punch," of which we all were invited to 
partake. As I was in good health, and had no use for anything 
iStronger than good coffee and cold water, it was soon noticed that 
T was not partaking, and some good-natured comments were made 
at my expense. This attracted the attention of Surgeon Cum- 
mings, who said, " By the way. Captain, how is it that you are 
the only officer who has not been on my hook for treatment?" 
My reply was, '" Well, Surgeon, my excuse for not being on A'our 
list of patients is that T have thus far had n^ need for your pro- 



183 

fessional services, and in this connection one fact just revealed 

is very significant. Colonel has just informed me that 

I am the only officer who has not partaken of that punch, and you 
say I am the only officer who has not applied to you for treat- 
ment. Now I will appeal to all of my comrades present, to say 
if I have not had rather more than my share of exposure on picket 
duty by reason of having to take the place of others excused on 
sick list. This being the case, won't you all admit that cold water 
and coffee are a better combination for exposure and endurance 
than liquor and lemons?" My argument met with no rebuttals. 

On March 24th we left Stafford Court House, and arrived 
the same day at Acquia Creek Landing, where we remained in 
camp until April 27th. While here we indulged in the luxury of 
fresh bread and Potomac shad, a most agreeable change from 
hardtack and bacon. The intervening weeks were occupied in 
daily drills, guard mounting and picket duty. The sutlers were 
very much in evidence at the Landing, and were freely patronized 
by the men for things needful, and by some for things not need- 
ful, for it transpired that liquor was being furnished to the men 
contrary to orders, and this was the occasion of my first personal 
contact with our division commander. General John W. Geary, 
under circumstances that inspired my confidence in his sobriety 
and my respect for his character. One morning at roll-call one of 
our men was missing, and the orderly sergeant speedily ascer- 
tained that he was away from camp and had been absent all night. 
About noon I was summoned to report at the division headquar- 
ters, and was there informed by General Geary that he had 
arrested one of my men for disorderly conduct the day before, 
that he was now in the guard house, and he (Geary) had sent 
for me to confer as to further discipline. I soon discovered that 
it was our missing man, who had been down at the Landing and 
been plied with liquor by a sutler, and while under its influence 
had brought himself into disgrace. I then explained the situa- 
tion to General Geary, and bore testimony to his previous good 
record and that it was his first offense, and requested that he be 
let oft" with a reprimand. To this the General readily assented, 
and, having ordered the guard to bring him into his presence, he 
addressed him in my presence, as follows : 

" Young man, I had as my guest yesterday the commander- 
in-chief, General Hooker, and was priding myself on the good 



184 

order which prevailed in my camp, when I was greatly mortified 
by a noisy brawl outside of my tent, which I discovered was caused 
by you, and immediately ordered you under arrest. Your cap- 
tain tells me that you have a good soldierly record, that this is 
your first offense, and that liquor is the cause. I have therefore 
decided to release you from confinement, trusting that the night 
passed in the guard house will make a lasting impression for your 
good, and I want you to take this counsel with you from your 
General, and that is to abstain from intoxicating drinks. Shun it 
as long as you live. All the success I have had in my career 1 
owe to a resolution taken in my early manhood, to avoid the use 
of licjuor in any form as a beverage. Now, sir, you can return to 
3^our cjuarters." 

The lesson proved salutar}', and that comrade gave me no more 
trouble, but I had a livelier experience with another soldier from 
the same cause. 

QUELLING A WHISKY INSURRECTION. 

It is a trite and true saying, " When whiskey gets in, reason 
gets out of a man." One evening when I was on duty as officer 
of the day, and responsible for the good order and discipline of 
the camp, a squad of soldiers returned from the Landing much 
the worse for liquor. They were quickly taken in hand and hur- 
ried to their tents, all submitting to control with one exception. 
He would heed no persuasion, refused to be quiet, would not go 
to his tent, and grew violent and dangerous. His record previous 
to enlistment was that of one in whom drink produced madness, 
and it was said he had escaped arrest for shooting a man while 
under that influence, and that the prosecution was not pressed 
when he enlisted. Finding persuasion unavailing, I summoned a 
guard of four men to arrest and secure him. When they arrived 
he snatched one of their guns, and, wielding it as a club, threat- 
ened to brain any and all who came within its range. At this junc- 
ture the lieutenant of his company arrived and endeavored to 
bring him to submission, but with no success. I was reluctant to 
have the men use their bayonets, and therefore quietly arranged 
with the lieutenant that we rush in on him from opposite sides, 
which we quickly did. The sweep of his gun knocked my 
cap from my head, but I reached him first and got a firm waist 
hold, and with the prompt assistance of the lieutenant we quickly 



185 

had him on the ground, and while the guards held him I succeeded 
in tying his arms securely with a stout cord conveniently at hand, 
and then sent him ofif to the guard house. All through the night 
he raved and threatened the lives of all concerned. The next 
morning he was still ugly, and I left him tied. Towards noon the 
whiskey mood was subsiding, and on my third visit he was rational, 
tractable and humble. On being asked if he knew what he had 
been doing, he replied, " No, but I find myself in the guard house 
and tied fast." I then said, " You came into camp last evening 
drunk and violently disorderly. You refused to obey the orders 
of your lieutenant, and made it necessary for me to arrest you, and 
in so doing you struck at me viciously with a comrade's gun, 
which you had snatched, and v/ould probably have killed me if I 
had not dodged the blow. If I report you to General Kane, he 
will have you court-martialed and perhaps shot for such a breech 
of military discipline ; but I don't want to do this, and will not 
bring any charge against you for this offense if you will agree to 
avoid liquor and promise not to let this occur again." He promptly 
gave me the satisfactory assurance and I unloosed him and sent 
him to his cjuarters. I scarcely need say that the whiskey-inspired 
threat of bodily harm to me was never fulfilled, and for the bal- 
ance of his term I probably had no better friend in the camp 
than he. 

During our stay at the Landing an alarm was sounded one 
evening, which brought us quickly into line to repel some appre- 
hended danger. Whether our show of readiness averted an 
attack from the enemy or whether it was a false alarm I know 
not, but after a patient waiting we were finally ordered to our 
tents again. But meanwhile some of the officers had obtained 
from the surgeon some liquor in their canteens for " medicinal 
purposes," and, not being careful in its use, one or two of them 
became quite noticeably affected by it. The surgeon in passing 
along the line noticed it, and in reply to my remark that it was 
unwise on his part to allow his patients to do their own dosing 
he replied with much fervor, " I pledge you my word. Captain, 
that I will never again trust an officer with more liquor than I 
have occasion to put down his throat myself." In reciting these 
incidents I would not be understood as assailing the use of liquor 
as a medicine, for it is of great value in the hands of a skilful 
physician, but as a beverage my experience and observation have 



186 

long since convinced me that it ought to be regarded as a foe to 
the human family. 

Profanity was another bad habit that some good soldiers had 
acquired. It was also objectionable to me, and although my own 
company was comparatively free from it, yet I occasionally had to 
reprimand others in the regiment, especially when, as officer of the 
day, the good order of the camp devolved upon me. On one such 
occasion my ears were assailed by a volley of energetic oaths 
that were rattling ofif with the fluency and celerity of a gatling 
gun, and on reaching the offender I promptly called him to 
account. He was holding one side of his face in his hands, and 
I discovered to my surprise that he was afflicted with an impedi- 
ment in his speech, which had not been in the slightest degree 
evident in his ability to swear, and his stuttering apology was in 
striking contrast to it, as he laboriously said, " Ca-Ca-Captain. I- 
I co-co-couldn't help it ! A b-b-bee st-stung me." I passed on 
quickly without further comment, but how a stuttering man could 
swear so fluently was a problem that puzzled me. In the case 
of another stutterer, who was devout and could pray fluently with- 
out impediment, his fluency was attributed to a special dispensa- 
tion of Providence, but in this case the anomaly calls for some 
other solution than to assign it to divine aid. 

Our regiment now formed part of the second brigade ( General 
Thomas L. Kane), second division (General John W. Geary), 
Twelfth Army Corps (Alajor-General Slocum), and on April 
28th, 1863, we left Acquia Creek Landing, with the Union army 
under orders from Major-General Joseph E. Hooker, command- 
ing, and set out on the Chancellorsville campaign. 

President Lincoln had previously visited the camp, and on 
Friday, April loth, a grand review of the army was held, which 
made a brilliant and impressive spectacle. 

The President on horseback, in civilian dress and high hat, 
escorted by General Hooker and his staff in their brilliant uni- 
forms, presented a striking contrast. Plis tall form loomed up 
conspicuously, but he was not a graceful rider, and alongside of 
the splendid martial figure of (leneral Hooker he was not an 
attractive-looking object to the soldier's eye from a spectaciflar 
point of view, as he rode along the line, but I regarded him with 
profound veneration and sympathy. Knowing full well what a 
crushing weight of responsibility and suspense and ruixict\- was 



187 

at that time oppressing him. His Emancipation Proclamation 
had been vehemently assailed by thousands in the North, and was 
far from being cordially received by all the soldiers, especially 
some of the war Democrats. It was not an uncommon thing to 
hear expressions of dissatisfaction, such as " We enlisted to fight 
for the Union, and did not come out to fight for the niggers," and 
the " copperhead " journals were filled with inflammatory edi- 
torials to intensify the spirit of opposition. 

As a justifiable war measure, however, it was generally acqui- 
esced in by the army, and to frustrate the aims of the " peace at 
any price " agitators and dispel all doubts as to the attitude and 
sentiments of the regiment, a mass-meeting was held, at which 
Colonel Higgins presided. Lieutenant-Colonel Szink and Major 
Lawrence acted as vice-presidents, and Chaplain J. D. Stewart, 
Surgeon L. C. Cummings and Captain W. W. Wallace as secreta- 
ries. A committee of five, consisting of the secretaries and Cap- 
tains Bell and McKeage, was appointed for the purpose, and 
embodied the views of their comrades in the following document, 
which was adopted and ordered to be transmitted for publication 
to the Northern papers. 

The Camp, Kane's Landing on the Potomac, March 20, 1863. 
The 125th Regiment Pennsylvania Vohmteers 
To her loyal friends sends greeting : 

We, your fellow citizens, here assembled in arms, not from love of 
war, but prompted solely by love of country and sense of duty, having 
put aside all partisan feelings, are now, in common with hosts of other 
loyal men, grappling with rebellion, and by the blessing of God hope 
effectually to crush it. 

To remove all misapprehension of our sentiments, a meeting of the 
regiment was held this day, and the following preamble and resolutions 
were imanimously adopted : 

Whereas, The attempts of the so-called peace party in Pennsylvania are, 
in efifect throwing impediments in the way while we are fighting the 
enemy in front : 

\nd whereas, On the result of this conflict the existence of our country 
depends, therefore, be it resolved : That all propositions to compromise 
with armed treason must be rejected, as unworthy the land that gave 
us birth ; 

Resolved, That the only compromise we can make is that the South 
ishall return to its former allegiance. 



188 

Resolved, That the only way to secure this result lies in a vigorous 
prosecution of the war, until the supremacy of the U. S. Government 
is fully established. 

Resolved, That the reports at home that '" the Army of the Potomac 
is in a demoralized condition " are false, and without foundation in fact, 
and that we look upon the authors of such reports as enemies of their 
country. 

Resolved, That we call upon all loyal citizens to organize and counter- 
act these conspiracies to aid Rebellion. 

Resolved, That the President of the United States is the Constitutional 
representative of our Government, and his administration must and shall 
be sustained, and that Governor Andrew G. Cartin is deserving of our 
highest respect and esteem for his eminentlj^ patriotic labors in behalf 
of Pennsylvania's wounded and sick soldiers. 

No pttblic official ever encountered more adverse criticism and 
venomous abuse than did President Lincoln, while loyally, pa- 
tiently, wisely and unselfishly g^iarding the ship of state through 
the storm that threatened to engulf her and amid the breakers that 
would have wrecked her. The spirit of unrest and criticistii was 
rampant, and even General Hooker had been led to indulge in 
some rash utterances, for which President Lincoln had adminis- 
tered to him a mild rebuke in his characteristic way, as follows : 

'' I am told that you say ' the country needs a dictator.' Of 
course, it is not for this, but in spite of it, that I place you in com- 
mand of the Army of the Potomac, and now all I ask of you is 
to achieve victory, and I will risk the dictatorship." ]My next 
sight of that magnanimous man was to gaze upon his sad upturned 
face as he lay in his casket in Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, 
en route to his sepulchre, in April, 1865, following his assassina- 
tion by Booth. 

General Hooker had acquired a reputation for skill and brav- 
ery that inspired the men with confidence and created high expect- 
ations, and the army was set in motion with the impress of victory 
as a foregone conclusion, but (in the words of Robert Burns) 
" the best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a-gley," and (to 
quote Billings)" if our foresight" (on April 30th) "had been 
equal to our hindsight " (on May 6th) " we would undoubtedly 
have done some things difTercMlly." On the afternoon of April 
30th we seemingly had the game in our hands. An energetic, 
aggressive forward movement at that time, it is thought, would 
have caught the Confederates at a fatal disadvantage, and 



189 

Hooker's star would have been in the ascendant. But for some 
reason, unknown to the rank and file, instead of utilizing our 
" flood tide " that was leading on to victory, we halted, " omitted " 
the opportunity — and thousands of 'lives were sacrificed for 
nought, unless the death of Jackson, which was an irreparable loss 
to the Confederacy, be deemed a result worth the cost to us. 

OUR REGIMENT. 

At daylight, April 29th, we crossed the Rappahannock at 
Kelly's Ford, and marched to the Rapidan, which we crossed at 
Germania Ford (where 150 Confederates had just been surprised 
and captured while building a bridge), thence to Chancellorsville, 
which v/e reached on Thursday, April 30th, about two o'clock 
p. M., and the following order was issued by General Hooker: 
" It is with heartfelt satisfaction that the General Commanding 
announces that the operation of the last three days has determined 
that our enemies must ingloriously fly, or come out from behind 
their defences and give us battle on our own ground, where cer- 
tain destruction awaits them.'' 

My first exploit was to pick up a lady's slipper on the lawn of 
the Chancellorsville Mansion, evidently dropped in a hasty flight. 
Thrusting it in my belt, I hoped for an opportunity to return 
it to the fair owner. I had not proceeded far when an officer 
passing me on horseback noticed my prize, and, producing its 
mate, proposed that we " toss up " for possession of both, to 
which I agreed and became the temporary custodian of the pair, 
but alas ! when Jackson, two days later, routed the Eleventh Corps 
and we " double-quicked " to that part of the field to resist his 
advance, we left our traps behind us, and in the evolutions of 
battle that followed we did not get back to that vicinity, and 
some lucky Confederate probably got the slippers and spoiled my 
gallant purpose. 

Posting our pickets, we rested for the night, and the next 
morning our brigade commander, General Thomas L. Kane, led 
us by a plank road across a swamp and out beyond our line, prob- 
ably half a mile, to an elevated ridge of land, and, there halting us. 
made a brief address, as follows : " Men, this is the first of May, 
a day on which it was our custom in my school days to bring our 
teachers bouquets of flowers, and now over there (pointing to a 



190 

hill beyond) is a rebel battery that I want you to present to me 

to-day " Just at this moment a courier rode up rapidly and 

delivered an order from headquarters to return with his men at 
once. This he show^ed extreme reluctance to obey, and it was 
only when a second and peremptory order quickly followed, that 
he " faced us about," and by a rapid movement, but in good order, 
we reached our main line in time to avoid a conflict with a superior 
force which aimed to intercept and cut us off. The incident 
caused the brigade the loss of two killed and a few captured, and 
gave rise to a brisk controversy. 

Some officers allege that Kane should have been reinforced 
and his position held, others that it was a rash movement and his 
prompt recall saved us from capture. The question is one of 
those debatable problems that are involved in the vital turning 
point of every great battle in which contingencies occur that 
cannot be foreseen or provided for by human skill or strategy. But 
it seems probable in this case that if we could have held that 
point of observation General Jackson could not have so stealthily 
executed that flank movement by which he surprised and routed 
the Eleventh Corps on the evening of the next day, May 2d, and 
thereby frustrated General Hooker's plans and made it necessary 
to fall back on a defensive line of battle on ^Nlay 3d, and event- 
ually compelled the Union army to withdraw from the field on 
May 6, with the loss of prestige and confidence in its com- 
mander, which defeat under such aggravating circumstances 
always brings ; for the '' rank and file " of the army grow impa- 
tient under defeat and demand victories to inspire confidence. 
The soldiers all liked Hooker and had entire faith in his bravery 
and patriotism, but they soon discovered that his plans had been 
checkmated. It may have been by General Hooker's order that 
Kane was recalled from his advanced position, and if so I think it 
probable that Kane was not aware of it, and attributed it to Gen- 
eral Geary. 

Our division commander. ( ieneral John W. Gearv, afterwards 
Governor of Pennsylvania, was a brave, patriotic and experienced 
soldier, who served with distinction in the ^Mexican War. That 
quality of prudence which deterred him from anv rash undertak- 
ings made him ]x>rhaps a safer leader than our impetuous and 
plucky brigade commander. General Kane, who knew no fear, 
and was eager to fight. The incident led to a coolness between 



191 

them for a time, but when in after years Geary became Governor 
he showed his appreciation of Kane by appointing him to a posi- 
tion of honor and trust in the service of the CommonweaUh, which 
healed all differences. On that evening, however. May ist, he 
held a conference with the officers of his brigade, to which I was 
invited, and he expressed his dissatisfaction and disapproval of 
the events of the day in strong terms, which he probably regretted 
when he cooled down; but the conference terminated abruptly 
by the sudden advent of Geary, who took him aside, and we gladly 
dispersed, for we felt the impropriety into which a hasty temper 
had led a man whom we admired. 

A PRESENTIMENT. 

Immediately following this conference, there occurred another 
incident that invested that brief period of rest with a peculiar 
interest. On my return to my post a young soldier accosted 
me, saying, " I am John W. Scott, private in Company ' I, ' and 
here is a w^atch that I want to leave with }0U to send to my 
mother." I told him my life w^as under greater risk than his in 
the battle, and advised him to get the sutler to attend to it. The 
incident was recalled some time later when, in looking over the 
list of killed and wounded, I noticed with surprise that he was 
killed on May 3, and the only man of his company lost in that 
battle. Those five days and nights of carnage and unrest were 
such as tried human endurance to the uttermost. The continuous 
volleys of artillery and musketry brought on rain, which made 
life absolutely cheerless, as though the heavens were weeping over 
the scenes of carnage. 

On one of these days, during a suspicious lull in operations, a 
field officer near me, training his glass on a distant woods, drew^ 
my attention to a column of the enemy moving eastward in front 
of that woods. It was apparently a large force, but, as we kept 
watching it, w^e were surprised by the occasional reappearance of 
an officer on a white horse. In each instance he v/ould emerge 
from our right and disappear upon our left, and as it was the 
same officer, we found that we were witnessing a bit of war 
strategy, and that a small force was circling many times around 
that woods to convey the impression that it was an army change of 
base in one direction, while in reality it was moving the other way. 
On the evening previous to our withdrawal from Chancellorsville 



192 

I was ordered to report at General Kane's headquarters, and 
found him much chagrined at the situation, as the decision to 
withdraw had just been received by him. Following some brief 
remarks, personal and complimentary, he said, " How many men 
can you muster? " I replied, " Seventy-one." He said, " We are 
to withdraw and cross the Rappahannock, and you will proceed at 
once with your men and form a picket line towards the Ford, and 
connect with the next brigade." At this moment an orderly rode 
up and handed him a paper, which caused him to say, more audi- 
bly than he intended, " Heavens ! ]\Iust my poor boys be slaugh- 
tered in this way?" Then, turning to me, he said, "Captain, 
this order infonns me that my brigade will have the post of honor, 
and will act as the rear-guard to cover the retreat." I appre- 
ciated the peril probably more than the honor of the assignment. 

It was a wet and starless night ; we were in such close touch 
with the enemy that torches could not be used, and I had a 
perilous mission to carry out in a locality in which I was a per- 
fect stranger; but, getting the boys together, w^e groped our way 
silently and warily over hills and ravines, through thickets and 
woods. They were posted one by one at proper intervals, forming 
a line in the darkness as straight as a " ram's horn " and undu- 
lating as the " sea serpent," and when the last picket was placed 
I waited in anxious suspense for daylight, in anticipation of exult- 
ing Johnnies to swoop down with devouring shot and shell upon 
the devoted few of the rear-guard who would be left on this side 
of the ford crossing. 

But happily our retreat was not discovered. Xo rebel batteries 
were yet planted to open on our pontoons, and, although we were 
about the last to cross, we reached the other side, and felt that we 
had a new lease of life. Further details of the night's experience 
from other comrades would be interesting and exhibit some of 
the hardships that soldiers have to endure in war's severe exac- 
tions. Dave Henderson has doubtless told his grandchildren how 
he dropped from exhaustion, and I scarcely expected him to live 
through the night for the Johnnies to finish him at daybreak. 
Jerry Brennem was one whom the Confederates could n't kill. 
A bullet in the head dropped him senseless, but after lying 
stunned for a while, he scrambled to his feet, shook himself to 
make sure he was not some other man. then had his head band- 
aged and resumed his place in the ranks, ready to blaze away 



193 

again with his musket at any Johnnie who should come within 
range. 

As General Hooker has been severely criticised, and to some 
extent perhaps unjustly, for the failure of his Chancellorsville 
campaign, in which victory was wrested from his grasp by con- 
tingencies that occurred through the alleged fault of others, it is 
due to him to place before our readers a brief summary of his 
plans, as narrated by one of his staunch defenders, whose severe 
arraignment of the subordinate generals, from his point of view, 
need not be quoted here. 

GENERAL HOOKER'S PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF 
CHANCELLORSVILLE. 

The Union Army numbered about 124,000 including 11,500 Cavalry. 

The Confederates numbered about 62,000 including 3,000 Cavalry. 

(General Longstreet with 24,000 had been detached to another depart- 
ment), and on learning this fact on April 27th, 1863, General Hooker 
started the 5th Corps, and nth and 12th Corps, under command of 
General Slocum, with 3 batteries to each, northward, unobserved by the 
enemy, and they crossed the Rappahannock at Kellys and Germania 
Fords. 

On April 28th the 6th Corps (Sedgwick's) and the ist Corps (Rey- 
nolds) and the 3rd Corps (Sickles) marched purposely in full view of the 
enemy down the river to some miles below Fredericksburg, causing 
General Lee to believe that his right flank was threatened. The same 
day two pontoon-bridges were placed at Franklin's crossing for the 
6th corps and two more a mile below for the ist corps to cross; on the 
night of the 28th the cavalry crossed the Kellys and Germania Fords, 
and on April 29th (morning), the infantry, under Slocum, crossed the 
Rapidan at Morton and Raccoon Fords and arrived at Chancellorsville 
at 6 P.M. April 30th, and were joined to two divisions of the 2nd 
Corps. The other division of the 2nd corps remained at Falmouth in 
full view of the enemy, who were thus successfully blinded as to the move- 
men underway of the main body: April 30th, the 3rd corps (Sickles) 
reached the U. S. Ford and camped there that night, and reached the 
XJ. S. Ford about 11 a.m. May ist and took position in rear and west 
of Chancellorsville house about 10 miles west of Fredericksburg. 

It was not until the evening of April 30th, that General Stewart dis- 
covered and reported to General Lee, that the Union army had crossed 
and was in position at Chancellorsville. Lee at once ordered Jackson from 
his right flank to the point threatened, leaving General Early's division 
to defend Fredericksburg, he with the balance of his forces spent all 
of that night in reforming their new line of defence. Jackson reached his 
position at 8 a.m. ist, and lay-in-wait in the dense woods awaiting 
developments. About 11 a.m. Hooker ordered an attack, the 12th corps 
13 



194 

(Slocums) and nth corps (Howard) via the Plank Road Silkes' 
division (5th corps) and Hancock's division (2nd corps) advanced on 
via the Turnpike (Center), the balance of the 5th corps, via the river 
road, French's division (2nd corps) advanced on the right to Todd's 
Tavern. Each column was preceded by a cavalry force (Pleasanton's) 
Sickles' 3rd corps v^as held in reserve west of Chancellorsville house, 
W'ith Graham's brigade advanced to Dowdle's tavern, Hooker's purpose 
was to advance, drive the enemy, and establish his line with the right 
resting on Tabernacle Church, 4 miles east, and his left covering Bank's 
ford, but an impenetrable woods foiled every effort to deploy in proper 
formation to dislodge a vigilant enemy in ambush, and that method had 
to be abandoned. General Hooker's action in a rapid change of plan 
and adopting the position held on the morning of May 2, is commended 
as a skilful tactical movement. The 5th corps rested on the river near 
Scott's dam, the 2nd and 3rd corps were south and southwest of the 
house, the nth corps about two miles west at the junction of the plank 
road and the pike, extending westward along the pike about three-quarters 
of a mile, in position to resist a front atack, but by a fatal oversight, no 
provision was made to meet a flank attack, and Stewart on a cavalry 
reconnoisance discovered that the right flank opposite the nth corps 
was unsupported, and at once informed Lee, who promptly despatched 
Jackson with 26,000 men to strike at that point which he did with char- 
acteristic energy and skill, and so successfully that it effectually dis- 
arranged Hooker's well laid plan of battle and placed the Union Army 
on the defensive during the remaining days of the conflict ; the position 
of a Commanding General in defeat is not an enviable one, for in addition 
to the mortification of failure he has to undergo the censorious and 
galling criticism of his enemies from a very imperfect knowledge of all 
the facts. 

In this instance the responsibility for the disaster, it would seem, from 
the conflicting testimony presented, might justly be shared by some of 
his subordinates who should have anticipated a flank attack from such 
an enterprising foe as Jackson, and made a better disposition of their 
forced to repel him. General J. Hooker says that at 9.30 a.m. he issued 
an order to the commander of the nth and 12th corps as follows: "The 
disposition you have made with your corps has been wath a view to a 
front attack of the enemy. If he should throw himself on your flanks, 
examine the ground and determine upon the position you will take in that 
event. Have heavy reserves well in hand to meet this contingency. The 
right of j'our line does not appear strong enough. We have good reason 
to suppose that the enemy is moving to our right. Advance your pickets 
to obtain timely information of their approach." 



This order, i.^^siicfl about ten hours previotis to Jackson's 
attack at that end of tlie hne, should have put them on their guard 
and found them in readiness to receive him, but the commander 



195 

of the Eleventh Corps sa)'s in his defence that this order did not 
reach him ; consequently these vital instructions were not carried 
out and we lost the battle. 

On May 6th, 1863, the 125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volun- 
teers, was sent back to Acquia Creek Landing, and as its term of 
service was to expire on May nth, it was transported by steam- 
boat to Washington, D. C, thence by rail to Camp Curtin, Harris- 
burg, Pa., and there mustered out on that day, and the comrades 
returned to their homes to enjoy temporarily a well-earned rest. 
But the war had not ended, and the services to the country of 
the regiment did not end with Chancellorsville. Very many of its 
members re-enlisted, as trained soldiers, for the war, and served 
until its close, some of them with distinction, and their record we 
think properly should be placed to the credit of the regiment that 
produced and trained them, and where ascertainable should be 
recorded in our volume as part of our contributory service. 

The comrades had scarcely reached their homes in Hunting- 
don and Blair Counties when an alarm was sounded through the 
North that the Confederate army was invading Pennsylvania. 

About one thousand of the returned soldiers promptly assem- 
bled at Mt. Union, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, which was 
supposed to be the point first threatened, for the purpose of cut- 
ting off the Union line of communication east and west. Major 
John J. Lawrence was placed in command, and I, with probably 
80 or 90 men, marched down toward the Maryland line on a 
reconnoissance. At our arrival at McConnellsburg, Pa., I met 
Colonel Moss, of the 12th Pennsylvania Cavalry, with about 300 
cavalry, part of General Milroys' force that had just been defeafed 
and driven north by General Early at Winchester. Colonel Moss, 
riding up to me, said, " Captain, my scouts bring me word that 
the enemy are coming this way, and I purpose to make a stand 
on the mountain to prevent them crossing. Can I have your 
co-operation with infantry?." I quickly assured him of our readi- 
ness to aid him, and he started with his cavalry at a brisk pace, 
while we followed on foot, making good time. The cavalry 
rounded the summit and were out of sight about the time we 
reached the base of the mountain ; but in a very few minutes 
they reappeared, riding briskly, and in passing the colonel said : 
" The force is too strong to attack successfully, and I am going 
with mv men to Bloodv Run." Another considerable bodv of 



196 

infantry under Lieutenant-Colonel Szink was also returning" by a 
branch road, he prudently having decided to avoid risking an 
engagement on learning the strength of the enemy, and, although 
these officers have been criticized for retiring without a fight, my 
own judgment is that they were entirely justified in so doing. I 
had not, however, yet seen the enemy, and in coming down the 
valley had been deceived by frightened farmers from below, and 
I decided to ascertain for myself such information as to their 
number and destination as would enable me to make a reliable 
report at our Mt. Union headquarters on my return, and so, halt- 
ing my men, I asked for a few volunteers to remain with me 
for a closer inspection of the enemy, and about twenty-six stepped 
out of the ranks. I then put the remainder of the men in the 
charge of a lieutenant and instructed him to march them back 
to Fort Littleton, some miles up the valley and there await my 
coming. Then, throwing the brave little band into single file, I 
cautioned them to follow me in silence and keep their eyes upon 
me, in readiness on a wave of my hand to leave the road, clamber 
up the bank, which no cavalry could have mounted, and each 
one to conceal himself securely in the thick brushwood that skirted 
the road. It was not my intention to attack or expose my men 
if the enemy should prove as large as represented, but an engage- 
ment was brought on by a peculiar circumstance. \\ hen we were 
half way up the long, slanting road a gallant young lieutenant 
(McDonald) with four cavalrymen, who had slipped off from 
Colonel Moss' command, overtook me and said, " Captain, I have 
come back to see if I can be of any service to you." I promptly 
accepted his co-operation, and said, " Ride on ahead as far as 
you can do so without danger of capture, and return with timely 
information of the approach of the enemy." lie started off with 
his squad, and was soon out of sight. We i:)lodded on, and had 
nearly reached the summit when I heard the rapid tread of hoofs 
and the lieutenant and his men reappeared, coming at full speed. 
I immediately waved the boys into ambush, and we were all 
snugly out of sight as the lieutenant shouted in passing. " Tliey 
are coming, Cajitain ! and a h — 1 of a lot of them." ( 1 reproduce 
his exact phrase because under the exciting circumstances a little 
emphatic language seemed excusable) : and. sure enough, his little 
band had scarcely passed me when a consideral)le force of Con- 
federate cavalrv came dashing into view. vocitVrouslv shouting. 



197 

'■ Halt ! Halt ! You blank Yankees ! " and accompanying their 
shouts with volleys from their carbines, which wounded one of 
the lieutenant's men but did not unseat him. and they all escaped, 
because the pursuit was very suddenly checked. 

A SURPRISE PARTY. 

For my obligations to those gallant comrades outweighed all 
prudential considerations, and when the enemy got abreast of our 
line we gave them a rattling volley in return, which effectually 
changed their purpose and sent them back in haste and great 
disorder. I emptied four barrels of my navy revolver. at them as 
they retreated by way of a parting salutation, just to " keep up 
the racket " and accelerate their flight. The attack had the effect 
of halting the whole brigade for some hours, as we had all the 
advantages attending a surprise and their uncertainty as to our 
numbers. 

They brought up their artillery and commenced to shell the 
woods, but by that time our little band was out of their reach, 
and, keeping to the mountain, we made our way to Fort Littleton, 
where, being reinforced bv a company sent down by Major Law- 
rence, I threw out pickets and prepared to contest the approach 
further north of the enemy's scouting parties, but none came our 
way. T have since learned that they had an absurdly erroneous 
idea of the number of men I had with me. (?)ur skirmish with 
them at AlcConn.ellsburg took place on June 24th. The battle of 
Gettysburg was approaching, and General Lee was obliged to 
concentrate his forces at that place, so that after a brief sojourn 
in our vicinity, the Confederates withdrew from that part of the 
state. It was chimed that our encounter was the first check they 
had on Pennsylvania soil, but this has been disputed, and perhaps 
correctly. I never investigated the matter. 

This practically closed m\- active participation, for, though I 
subsequently raised a cavalry company, it was not called into 
active service, and as the War Department had decided not to 
accept any new regiments. I followed the advice of Governor 
Curtni and accepted a business proposition that brought me to 
Philadelphia, where I have remained ever since. 

Among my letters of the war period, I find the following well- 
merited trilnite to an officer of the regiment, whose death from 



198 

disease contracted at Antietam was deplored by all his comrades. 
It was addressed to me by his physician, and reads as follows : 

Alexandria, Feb. 6th, 1863. 
Dear Sir : — 

I inform you that 2nd Lieutenant Wilham F. McPherran departed 
this life about one o'clock this afternoon — I have known him in private life 
from childhood up, and must say that I believe he possessed all the 
traits of character requisite to constitute one of our best men, and his 
untimely loss will be deeply lamented here. 

(Signed.) William Christy. 

Another paper is a copy of a list of money sent by comrades of 
the regiment with Chaplain John D. Stewart, in February, 1863, 
the total amount being $2490.50, and the receipt and disbursement 
of it to their respective families was acknowledged February 28th 
by Major George W. Garrettson, who was then cashier of the 
Huntington Bank, and warmly interested in the welfare of the 
regiment and glad to serve the comrades in every way. 

The circumstances attending the death of Lieutenant Stewart 
(the chaplain's brother) were most pathetic. Fie was an exemp- 
lary and pleasing comrade. Earlier in life he had contracted a 
fondness for drink, which took strong hold of him and impaired 
his health and prospect. He was reclaimed, however, and went 
to the front and was in every respect a brave and efficient officer. 
Unfortunately, shortly before the Chancellorsville battle, he paid 
a visit to some of his friends in another brigade, and they got 
him under the influence of liquor, and he returned to our camp 
with a deep feeling of humiliation and regret, which he expressed 
at length in his diary, and ended his penitential confession with 
the remarkable statement that the Lord had forgiven him and 
would call him home at the coming battle, and so it turned out, 
and he was the only officer of his company killed in that battle. I 
have never envied the feelings of those officers who in culpable 
thoughtlessness and from mistaken ideas of true hospitality plied 
their unfortunate comrade with the liquor that wrought his 
downfall. 

J. Fletcher Conrad was originally appointed one of the com- 
mittee on the history of the regiment. His death after a brief 
illness sadl}- interrupted his labors, atvd proved an almost irrep- 
arable loss to the committee. He was one of the most unselfish. 



199 

energetic, untiring and patriotic workers that we had in the regi- 
ment. He had a zeal in the service of his country and in extending 
the " helping hand " to any of his comrades that knew no limit. 
It was his earnest letter, sent with my approval, to Governor Patti- 
son, that largely influenced him to appoint Sergeant Greenland 
Adjutant-General of Pennsylvania. Upon one occasion Conrad 
confronted the Secretary of War and by sheer pluck and persist- 
ence secured the appointment of chaplain in the United States 
Army for a deserving and efficient minister who had a good 
record and in whose success we were all warmly interested. 
Conrad was born at Franklinville, Pa., August 15th, 1840; he 
enlisted in Company " C," 125th Regiment; was transferred to 
the Hospital Department, for which as a druggist he was espe- 
cially well qualified, and performed his duties well. When mus- 
tered out with his regiment. May i8th, 1863, he commenced an 
active and successful business career, and some years later, when 
he settled in Philadelphia, it was my privilege to again become 
associated with him as a comrade in George G. Meade Post, No. i, 
G. A. R., and in 1897, when the post chose me as its commander, 
it gave me great pleasure to appoint him to the position of adju- 
tant, and no commander ever had an aide who brought greater 
ability or faithfulness to the duties of that office. 

He died May 14th, i8g8, and received a soldier's funeral. He 
was interred at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, where 
his surviving comrades annually place a wreath on his grave on 
Memorial Day. 

Captain McKeage, of our regiment, deserves a brief tribute 
to his memory. Our separate duties prevented a close intimacy 
between us, but our personal relations were cordial, for I liked the 
man, and I think that he held the same kindly feelings for me, 
notwithstanding the fact that when he was a candidate for lieu- 
tenant-colonel and there was a tie vote between him and Szink, I 
had the casting vote, and being unacquainted with either, I decided 
in favor of Szink. This action, on better acquaintance with both, 
I regretted, because, while Szink was a genial good comrade, 
whom we all liked, yet McKeage impressed me as better fitted to 
command men. I regarded him as the best fighting officer in the 
regiment. He was such a man as I would select to lead an attack, 
who by his courage and skill and example would hold his men 
to work. Captain McKeage respected my rigid notions about 



200 

drink, although he was accustomed to take a drop now and then, 
and I recah an amusing- incident in this connection. 

On my rounds as officer of the day I had occasion to caH on 
him, and as we did not have '' knockers on the doors " of our 
tent, we had to enter miceremoniously, and the sight that greeted 
my eyes was our brave captain standing erect, face upturned, arm 
uplifted, holding a bottle inverted, and absorbing the contents 
with evident enjoyment. ]^Iy abrupt entrance disturbed the pro- 
ceeding, and the Captain's respect for my views on that cus- 
tom led him to hastily place the bottle out of sight, and he 
reminded me in his confusion of a boy whose mother had caught 
him foraging in a pantry for doughnuts, but with this difference : 
McKeage's embarrassment was that of the courteous host at the 
unexpected entrance of a guest to whom he could not offer that 
kind of refreshment. The Captain was among the first to help me 
rally the men on the flag at the battery, at Antietam, in reforming 
after the retreat. Upon retiring from the army he resided at Hol- 
lidaysburg, a highly respected citizen, until his death, February 
I2th, 1874. Peace to thy memory, gallant comrade ! 

Among my war papers is the following letter, which shows 
that the veterans of the 125th Regiment were in readiness to repel 
the invaders in the campaign that ended at Gettysburg, Pa. : 

Fort Littleton, June 24, 1863. 
Captain W. W. Wallace, 

Dear Sir :— 

I arrived here in the night with the enclosed message to you from 
Major J. J. Lawrence commanding. I found some men at New Granada, 
nine miles from here, in the direction of Broad Top; Captain Reed 
decided to take position at Sprout's Stand, on the top of Rev's Hill, 
where the State Road and Pike cross, fourteen miles from here, and 
about eight miles from Bloody Run. He expects to increase his force 
to 125 men to-day, and station part of them at Kegrice's Stand, five miles 
this way from Sprouts on the State Road. Captain Shorthill is at New 
Granada with about 25 men, and expects to fill up his Company. Cap- 
tain Watson expects to be back with a full company. Another company 
will be organized to-day, and will report to you at this place, near which 
it is desired that you remain, that you may the better command and 
direct the interest of this intended line. General Smith, by General 
Couch's orders, directed the line to lie established as above indicated, 
and that rifle pits be thrown up at or near Lyon's Farm, about six miles 
from here on the State Road, nearly on a line with Captain Bell's position 



201 

who starts to-day with some of his men ; the balance remain here under 
Captain Jolly. 

The companies coming from Broad Top and elsewhere will report 

to you at this place . You will hear from Major Lawrence 

connnanding soon again. 

F. H. LANE, 

First Lieutenant and Acting Aid. 

The history of the services of the 125th Regiment can never be 
fully recorded, for there were perils encountered and suffermgs 
endured and exploits performed by individual members, of whom 
many are dead, who left no written record of their deeds, bitt the 
committee obtained from some of the comrades living" interesting 
contributions to the unwritten history of the war, which are here 
inserted : 

Levi Decker, Private, Company H. 

At Antietam, at the bluff of rocks near Dunker church, while 
firing, I got my first wound, a bullet through my left shoulder, and 
on our way back, at the Pike I got my second wound, a bullet 
through my left arm. I was still able to travel, and got about 
half-way froiu the Pike to the battery when I got my third wound 
from the left flank of the enemy, a bullet in my right hip, which 
fetched me to the ground. I laid there between the lines probably 
two or three hours, until I recovered from the shock, and then 
got up and luade my way painfully through the line of battle at 
the cornfield and down through the woods to the big spring, where 
I got my wounds dressed. When the Confederates shelled it I 
crossed the field over to the road at the woods and got into an 
ambulance, which took me to a house in the rear, out of range of 
the Confederate fire, where I laid until September 27th. and 
was then taken to Frederick City Hospital, where I remained 
until discharged, December 17th. 1862. unfitted for further duty. 
and this ended my military service. 

John Heffner, Private, Company F. 

After the battle of Antietatu, Charles Crohers and myself 
buried five of our comrades in a hole made by taking out lime- 
stone in the woods near Dunker church. One was James Deer- 
field, another was Corbin ; tlie other three I don't remember. We 



202 

also buried Benjamin Cunningham back on the field about half 
a mile from there. I helped to bury other dead soldiers for a day 
or two on Maryland Heights. We found a number of unburied 
bodies where General Miles had surrendered. 

H. H. Gregg, Captain, Company H. 

When mustered out with the Regiment in May, 1863, promptly 
re-entered the service as Captain in the 13th Pennsylvania 
Cavalry. In 1864 he was advanced to the rank of Major, and for 
meritorious conduct was brevetted successively as ]\Iajor and 
Lieutenant-Colonel. On the application of Governor Curtin he 
was honorably discharged from service, on order of the Secretary 
of War, on April 5, 1865, and appointed Chief of State Trans- 
portation and Military Secretary of the Governor, which position 
he held also under Governor Geary until 1868. During his service 
with the 13th Cavalry Regiment he participated in a number of 
engagements, was twice made prisoner of war, and spent several 
months in Libby Prison, Richmond, and at Danville, Ya.. and 
Saulsbury, N. C. 

William H. Simpson, Captain, Company F. 

In 1861 he enlisted in the Petersburg company for three months 
as second lieutenant of Company " H," Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
under General Patterson. Re-entered as Captain, Company " F," 
125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served with the 
regiment during its term of nine months. Was wounded at 
Antietam in the right shoulder, and at Chancellorsville slightly 
wounded in the face. 

Stephen Aiken, Private, Company D. 
" Was wounded at Antietam by a bullet in the face and neck. 
breaking the jaw bone and unfitting me for further service. I was 
three days and nights on the battlefield, and was then taken to 
Hagerstown, thence to Chambersburg, and then to the Cotton 
Factory Hospital, at Harrisburg. and was discharged March 
13th, 1863, as unfit for service." 

\y. R. Strickler, Privati:, Co^tpaxv F. 
" \\'hen our regiment was ordered into the woods at Dunker 



203 

church, our skirmishers had not advanced more than fifty yards 
when they were driven back and we opened fire. A brigade of 
Confederates came up through the woods, with another coming up 
outside at a "right-shoulder-shift," double-quick into line. Our 
regiment, having delivered its fire and being unsupported, had 
faflen back under orders, and I started down over the brow of the 
hill into the field, and was about one hundred yards from the 
church when the Confederates fonned into line in front of the 
church. My gun was loaded, and I was in the act of firing when 
McCowen's batterv came dashing up, nearly running over me, 
unlimbered and opened fire with grape and canister. As I stood 
and watched, the shots cut great gaps in the Confederate hne, 
which thev quicklv closed up again, and meanwhile opened out 
with musketrv. The bullets came too thick for me, and while 
getting out of range a " minnie " went through my left thigh, but 
I had the satisfaction of seeing the Confederates driven back. I 
was laid up in the hospital with my wound for three months." 

Frederick W. Gerhard, Private, Company D. 

" At Fort Bernard we were drilled in the use of artillery, mus- 
ket, pick and shovel. At Dunker church I did not hear the order 
to retreat, and fired ofif my gun and then started for the rear of 
our battery, which was then doing good work, supported by our 
comrades, who were re-forming in line behind it. I found on the 
field a better gun than mine and traded, and lying beside a dead 
Confederate was a leather case holding a knife, fork and spoon 
which I appropriated. A wounded ' Reb ' asked me to help hmi 
to a shady place, but on getting him to his feet he was unable to 
walk, as part of his bowels were hanging out, and I was com- 
pelled to leave him." 

David R. Donnely, Private, Company B. 
" I received a bullet in my left thigh, while in the front near the 
Dunker church. While disabled by my wound I was in the hos- 
pital at i6th and Filbert Streets, Philadelphia. In December I 
returned to my regiment, in Loudon Valley, and participated m 
all the remaining marches and perils, including the battle of 
Chancellorsville." 



204 

Thomas L. Exgard, Prixate, Company C. 

"Re-enlisted August, 1864, as corporal in Company B, 208th 
Regiment, Pennsylvania A^olunteers, and won distinction in the 
battle of Fort Steadman, March 25th, 1S65. The field officer 
being absent, nn- captain assumed command of the regiment and 
put me in command of the skirmish line. Our standard-bearer 
was shot through the bod\'. but I gave the word forward to my 
men, and our movement was followed by the entire line, resulting 
in the glorious victory and the capture of many times our number 
of prisoners. At Petersburg, April 2d, 1865, I got four gunshot 
wounds. Xext day, with a sergeant also wounded, going through 
Petersburg, we got a Union flag and took it to the Stafif House 
roof. A Union general, passing by, hailed us and inquired what 
we were doing, and we replied, " Old Glory nuist float." A\'hen 
the troops came up he said, " See what two wounded soldiers 
have done," and the cheering was deafening. We responded by 
waving our caps. The sergeant's tongue was half shot away, so 
he could n't cheer, but he stamped on that old tin roof and made 
as much noise as a dozen men. I was sent to City Point Hospital, 
thence to Alexandria Hospital. After the assassination of Presi- 
dent Lincoln I was discharged from Fairfax Hospital, \a., and 
went home." 

Henry C. Warfel, Pri\"ate, Company I. 

" At the expiration of my term of service with the 125th Regi- 
ment I served in Company A, First Pennsylvania Cavalry Pat- 
talion. Was awarded a medal of honor by act of Congress for 
capturing a Confederate flag in the battle of Fann Crossroads, Va., 
April 5th, 1865. \\^as on the skirmish line at Lee's surrender, 
April 9th, 1865. Discharged at Bladensburg, ]vld., ?\lav 27th. 
1865." 

Len'i G. Heck, Pkixati:, Co.Mi'Axv H. 

"Mustered out May, 1863. Re-enlisted Februar\ 14111, i8(')4. 
in Company I, 21st Pennsylvania \'olunteer Cavalry, and was ])ro- 
moted to first lieutenant September 3d, by order of the Secretary 
of War, and assigned to the 127th Regiment, United States Col- 
ored Infantry, under ( General B. F. Tracy (since Secretary of the 
Navv). \\'ith this regiment I did dutv at Richmond and Peters- 



205 



bur., oarticipating in the capture of the latter e.ty, Apr.l 2d, 
Z^.: Wa also at the surrender of Lee at Appon,attox after 
vSh we were sent to Texas under General Sheridan to hn.sh up 
■ Re ell^n landing at Bragos. Santiago, near .^e jnouth o 
the Rio Grande, in May, where we remanied unt.l hnally d,s 
charged September 9th, 1865. ' 

Andrew Geist, Private, Company F. 
" Discharged with the regiment. May, 1863. Re-enlisted De- 
cembe° Xron Third Heavy Artillery, on F-'«- .^-^^'i;:; , 
r r.ril ist 1864, was transferred to l^eld duty w.th the 1 88th 
P „"' a ia Volunteers. On June 3d, 1864, was wounded m 
riJh eg'at Cold Harbor, which laid nre up for - tnontls .n 
ife ho itital. I then returned to my regiment, um.l June, 1865, 
whe contracted fever and was taken to Lee Hospital, R.ch- 
mo d Va for two months, and then rejoined the regnrren and 
™ed utnil December U^U. 1865, when we were -^.tered out 
of service at City Point, \^a., and discharged at Phdadelplna, 
December 19th, 1865." 

Edward L. Russ, Sergeant, Company D, 
" I was shot through the abdomen at Dunker church during the 
battle of Intietam, nT September. 1862. While lynrg wounded a 
^C^LIri ran up, seemmgly to bayoir. and r., me, but, p.ckmg 

^:: r ■ r r ::ife.' t:t otf :.-«, it m n. u. 

Jzed at me for a moment, and hastily rejoined h,s comrades 
fmotth storm of death-dealing missiles. Six of my comrades 
o Comp ny D ' risked their lives in saving me from the exposed 
pi^tiof n'which I lay. The surgeon pronounced "V -°-' ^ 
Irtal one. On the afternoon of the ^^^^^^^^^^W. 
T.vceum Hospital, at Hagerstown. m charge of Doctor Geor e » 
N^binger of'philadelphia, whose skill and untmng attention to 
^vounded soldiers deserves honorable mention, 

Brinton Gtuck, Priv.vte, Company K. 
Savs- " At Antietam three of my comrades were shot down 
,,v „,v side. I have very vivid recollections of seeing General 



206 

Mansfield fall wounded from his horse, not more than twenty feet 
from me. The enemy had just let loose shot and shell on us 
and we were ordered to lie down, and while in that position 
Mansfield rode up to the crest of the hill right on our front. Cap- 
tain Gardiner detailed Kho and Burhammer and Edmanton, and 
one other comrade, who carried him to the rear on their muskets 
to the loth Maine comrades, who carried him to the hospital." 

Jacob Gluck, Private, Company K. 

" In the battle of Antietam, when General Mansfield was shot 
whilst on his horse, one of the men detailed by Captain Gardiner 
to carry him to the rear was standing next to me in the ranks. 
During the battle our lieutenant and myself and three other com- 
rades drew a brass cannon back from near Dunker church to the 
rear, about half a mile." 

Michael B. Brenneman, Private, Company C. 

" At Antietam I was wounded and carried off the field by Com- 
rades Lincoln and AIcDevitt to the Poffenberger barn. In about 
ten days our friends got J. E. Robb, J. R. Knode and myself 
removed to Huntingdon, where I remained five weeks before I 
was able to get home, and it was two months before I got about 
on crutches. In March I went to the Cotton Factory Hospital, at 
Harrisburg, and was discharged from service on April 6th, 1863, 
on account of disability." 

W. S. HoAu, Private, Company D. 

"I was wounded at Antietam, September 17th, 1862; dis- 
charged for disability at Camp Convalescent, near Alexandria, \'a., 
January 9th, 1863. Re-enlisted June 13th, 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio, 
Company ' B.' 177th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with this 
regiment took part in Hood's defeat, at Nashville. Tenn. At l-^ort 
Fisher, N. C, also with the Twenty-third Army Corps, in opening 
Cape Fear River, and capture of ^^'ilmington. N. C. Was again 
wounded at the capture of Fort Anderson. February 19th, 1864, 
and was sent to Marine Hospital, at \\^ilmington, N. C. ; thence 
to David's Island Hospital, East River. X. Y.. and finallv dis- 
charged at Columbus, Ohio, July 6th, 1865." 



207 

Eugene J. Boblits, Corporal, Company H. 

Born December 21, 1846, he was probably one of the young- 
est soldiers in the army. He was one of the color-guard at 
Antietam, and when that gallant color-bearer, Sergeant George 
A. Simpson, was killed, Boblits bore the colors until he was also 
prostrated by a bullet, which left him crippled for life. 

Samuel S. Hedrick, Private, Company H. 

Served with the regiment until wounded at the battle of 
Antietam, and later was discharged from the service, November 
2ist, 1862, on surgeon's certificate. Re-enlisted March i6th, 
1864, in Company " B," 13th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, and 
served until mustered out at Raleigh, N. C, July 14th, 1865. 

Joseph C. Garner, Private, Company B. 

Served with this regiment until wounded at the battle of 
Chancellorsville, May 2d, 1863. Disabled by a bullet wound in 
his right knee ; cared for at the field hospital until discharged 
with the regiment at Harrisburg, May i8th, 1863. 

John Oscar Moore, Private, Company F. 

" The South Mountain and Antietam march and battle, the 
unbroken fast, emptying canteen, sharp-shooters, suspense, advance 
on Dunker church, the bursting shell that did the blood-letting for 
me, the awful carnage, daring deeds of the boys, the solemn roll- 
call on that eventful evening with the ground thickly strewn with 
dead and dying, are memories that will never be effaced. Our 
return home and discharge will doubtless be told by others. In 
1865 I was present at Lincoln's Inauguration, saw the Grand 
Review, Lincoln's funeral, and the execution of some of his 
assassins." 

Elias a. Zeek, Private, Company C. 

" At the battle of Antietam part of the bone of my right arm 
was shot away. I lay two weeks in the battlefield barn hospital, 
was then sent to the Walnut Street Hospital, Harrisburg, and in 
November was discharged for disability." 



208 

Walter W. Greenland, Second Sergeant, Company C. 

At the battle of Antietam. where the troops were falhns;- back, 
and our gallant color-bearer. Sergeant George A. Simpson, was 
shot and fell dead with the i\ag in his hands and other comrades 
snatched the colors and were quickly wounded, Sergeant Green- 
land bravely secured the flag and surrendered it to his captain, 
who used it to rally the regiment. He rose to distinction in civil 
life, and on March 8th, 1892. was appointed Adjutant-General of 
Pennsvlvania l)y Governor I'attison. 

George Sprankle, Private, Company C. 

Was wounded at Antietam. but remained in the service until 
mustered out with his company, May 18th, 1863. 

Hill P. Wilson, First Sergeant, Company B. 

Re-enlisted and served as captain of Company " I."" in Stevens' 
Regiment, in the defence of Nashville, Tenn. In i8(')5 he served 
under Captain Hamell in charge of United States military railroad 
until the close of the war. In 1868 he was serviceable to General 
Sheridan during his campaign against the Cheyenne warriors ; 
in 1878, postmaster; 1879, bank president; in 1888, State Sen- 
ator, and in 1891. receiver of public money of the United States 
Land Office, at \\^akeene}', Kansas. 

Frank H. Lane, Second Lieutenant, Company F. 

" At Chancellorsville I received the thanks of General Geary 
for meritorious services. I was mustered out with the regiment 
at Harrisburg, on May 18th, 1863. Shortly afterwards, when 
the word reached Huntingdon that the Confederate army was 
coming into Pennsylvania and advancing to Mt. Union to hold or 
destroy the I\Minsylvania Railroad, the alarm was sounded by 
the Court House bell. The old soldiers assembled and (juickly 
organized, with Major John J. Lawrence in command, assisted 
by Captain Wallace and myself. Arriving at Mt. Union, we 
occupied the approach. By morning we were heavily reinforced 
by other troops. General McDowell by telegram directed Major 
Lawrence to command the post. I was assigned to duty as aide 
and scout. Captain W^allace. in conunand of some sharp-shooters. 



209 

proceeded down the valley on a reconnoissance. He advanced to 
Orbisenia, thence to Three Springs, thence to Fort Littleton, then 
to the side of the Cove Monntain near where the pike crosses the 
summit, near McConnellsbnrg, where he met the Confederate 
advance, numbering about 3000 soldiers, including cavalry, artil- 
lery and infantry. Word reached me at Fort Littleton that they 
were approaching McConnelsburg, and, mounting a fleet horse, 
I arrived just in time to see the Union cavalry moving to the rear 
and Captain Wallace and his sharp-shooters moving cautiously 
along the pike toward the summit of the mountain. Keeping well 
covered by timber and other obstructions, when the enemy's 
advance came around the summit and came well under range, they 
were received with volleys which so surprised and checked their 
movement that they did not advance beyond the town. They 
reported several of their men killed and wounded. Only one Union 
man was wounded." 

Horace B. Kemp, Corporal, Company G. 

Is not officially mentioned among the union martyrs of the 
regiment, but he served creditably at Antietam and Chancellors- 
ville, and died shortly after his return home, from disease con- 
tracted in the service, aged 21 years. 



14 




a; V 






Re-Union 



OF THE 



125TH REGIMENT 

Pennsylvania Volunteers 



AT 



ANTIETAM 

1888 




I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'eia up, 
I can't get 'em up, I tell you ; 
I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up, 
I can't get 'em up at all. 

The Corporal's worse than the Private, 
The Sergeant's worse than the Corporal, 



The Lieutenant's worse than the Sergeantj 
But the Captain 's worst of all, 

I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up, 
1 can't get 'em up this morning; 
I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up, 
I can't get 'em up to-day. 



ASSEMBLY— " FALL IN!" 

J2. 



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f^ESSESL-ZS. 



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FATIGUE CALL. 






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r i rr i rr i rj i ffirfg 



O '^ 



imy 



SICK CALL — Tune of " Come along, Josie." 



1 



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4 ^Hq^ 



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m 



t^ 



Dr. Thomas says, Dr. Thomas says. 

Come and get your Quine — Quine — Quine — Quinine, 

Come and get your Quinine, 

Q — n — -i — n — i — n — e ! ! ! 

TAPS. 



^ 



i 



"^if r^f n 



itt: 



S 



P- 



3 



m 



^ . 



oh ! these were Bugle Echoes ! that inspired the Soldier Muse 
With ready wit and liumor to antidnte the blues. 



- , k" V -J 



ri3 



•«»^?^ 







--■i-''^--' 



^^ 



^^■>« 






t^-^: 



}^n 






RE-UNION 



OF THE 



125TH REGIMENT 

Pennsylvania Volunteers 



AT 



ANTIETAM 

SEPTEMBER 17, 1904 



SURVIVING COMRADES GROUPED IN FRONT 
OF THE MONUMENT AT ITS DEDICATION 



REUNION OF THE 125th REGIMENT 
AT ANTIETAM, SEPTEMBER 17, 1904. 

The reunion of the 125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
and the ceremonies attending the unveiling and dedication of the 
monument erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in com- 
memoration and in honor of the noble dead of the regiment, who 
so bravely gave their lives for their country on Antietam battle- 
field, was held near the Dunker church, on the battlefield, Satur- 
day, September 17, 1904, at the hour of ten o'clock, a. m., and 
was presided over by Captain William W. Wallace, president of 
the Regimental Association. The following programme was car- 
ried out : 

Calling Meeting ta Order. 

Prayer Rev. Dr. T. Flood. 

Remarks, President of Association. 

Song Miss Cora Eynon Hicks. 

Unveiling of Monument Miss Annie Simpson. 

Address, Lieut. Thomas McCamant, Co. C. 

x^ddresses Other i\Iembers of Regiment. 

Miscellaneous Business. 

Song — "America." Audience. 

Benediction. 

Captain William W. ^^"allace called the meeting to order 
promptly at ten o'clock at the monument, in a brief opening 
address, as follows : 

Comrades of Fort Bernard. Picket Line of Second Bull Run. South 
Mountain. Antietam, Chancellorsville and Cove Mountain : I am glad 
to meet and greet you again on this historic battlefield under happier 
conditions than confronted us on our first visit to this spot; as the 
senior surviving oiificer. and President of our Regimental Association, I 
am called to preside on this occasion, and as other comrades will address 
you in detail, I will occupy hut a few minutes of your time in these 
opening remarks. 

Forty-two years ago a patriotic hand of citizen soldiers from Hunting- 
don and Blair counties, Pennsylvania (including about forty from 
Camliria countv), in all about 700 men. who had left their farms and 

219 



220 

other occupation in civil life, and with only four weeks" training, then 
comprised the fighting force of the One Hundred and twenty-fifth Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania Volunteers, marched across this open field of car- 
nage, exposed to a destructive fire from a concealed foe, and reached this 
extreme front position, far in advance of the regular line of battle. It 
is not my province as chairman to anticipate other speakers in narrating 
the tragic incidents and details of that thrilling encounter with the 
Confederates sheltered behind their barriers of rocks and trees and 
thickets, but it was soon evident that we were at a terrible disadvantage 
" out in the open," and that to push on against a larger force, they in- 
trenched and we unsupported, was to incur risk of capture or annihilation, 
and it was wisely decided to retire to the rear of our batteries, which 
promptly opened at close range with such telling effect, that the Con- 
federates speedily abandoned their purpose to advance, and took refuge 
again in their hiding places. 

The sun went down that day on the "bloodiest one-day battlefield of 
the War." On our part it was a drawn battle, in which both sides lost 
heavily. We slept on our arms, expecting to renew and fight to a finish 
next day, but our brave foe had had enough, it seems, of Pennsylvania'-S- 
greetings, and withdrew to the other side of the Potomac, leaving us in 
possession of the dearly bought field. Our total loss was 229 in killed 
and wounded (of whom 84 being slightly wounded but not disabled, 
were not reported officially). 

It is to the precious memory of those gallant comrades who fell by our 
side on that eventful day in defence of our country. " its national integrity 
and unity," that this monument has been erected by a grateful Connuon- 
wealth to perpetuate through coming generations for all time, a recogni- 
tion of their heroic devotion and sacrifice tmto death, and a veneration 
for those brave and loyal sons of Pennsylvania, and we, their surviving 
comrades, are now assembled to dedicate it with appropriate ceremonies. 

We have with us to-day the sister of our lamented color bearer, George 
A. Simpson, whose image is sculptured in granite and properly stands 
on this pedestal, and which i\liss Annie Simpson will now unveil to your 
gaze. 

And now Comrades ! every thoughtful mind gives ready assent to the 
truth and force of Hamlet's utterance, that " there is a Divinity that 
sliapcs our ends, rough hew them how we will," and it is eminentlv 
proper that we. American citizens and soldiers, "in all mu" ways should 
acknowledge Him, who doeth according to His will in the army of 
Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth," who overrules evil 
for good in human affairs, and whose benign agency and control has been 
conspicuously manifest in liehalf of our Xation from its origin down to 
the present hour. 

Let us therefore lift up our thoughts devoutly to the author of our 
being, and the source of all junver. while a comrade, now present, who 
received his first baptism of fire near this spot, who was then Orderly 
Sergeant of the Color Conijiany, leads us in jtrayer. T allude to the Rev. 
Theodore L. Flood, D.D., of -Meadville, Pa. 



221 

PRAYER BY DR. T. L. FLOOD. 

O God, our Father and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
we bow our spirits and worship Thee on this ground, consecrated by the 
blood of our comrades and friends, and where many of us faced death 
itself that we might perpetuate this nation. We give Thee thanks that 
we live to see this day — that we may come together to speak of the 
deeds of valor and of the noble men who fell in our regiment and in 
our great army on the day of battle more than forty years ago. 

We thank Thee that Thou didst direct our fathers in the early days 
of our Nation's history, and that Thou didst give them wisdom and 
courage to lay the foundations of this Republic. We give Thee thanks 
for the wisdom and statesmanship of the great men who perpetuated this 
nation by their wise action in the halls of Congress, and in the Executive 
Mansion at Washington. And when we think of the battles that were 
fought in the Civil War, the defeats that were suffered and the victories 
won, we raise our hearts to Thee in thanksgiving for the victory achieved 
on this battlefield, and we thank Thee for the noble part our regiment 
was permitted to take in that conflict. 

And, now, we return to Thee gratitude that so many brave men who 
fought here survive until this day. We beseech Thee to bless the widows 
and orphans of our comrades who fell in that battle. Bless all the com- 
rades who remain, and may our gathering to-day be an inspiration of 
patriotic devotion to our country, and may we here at the altar of liberty, 
which has been an altar of sacrifice, consecrate ourselves anew to the 
preservation of this Republic and to the perpetuation of free institutions. 

Inspire the men who shall speak on this occasion, and may we all 
carry to our homes an increased love for our country, and our country's 
flag. 

Bless our army and navy, the President of the United States and his 
Cabinet and our National Congress. Bless the Governor of this Common- 
wealth and our State Legislature. Guide us all in the way of peace that 
we may never again be called to engage in civil strife, but that we 
may keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace. 

These blessings we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The battle hymn of the Republic was then sung- by Miss Cora 
Eyon Hicks, of Altoona, and Mr. Frank M. Waring, of Tyrone, 
the comrades joining in the chorus. 

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord ; 
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored- 
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; 
His truth is marching on. 

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps. 
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps; 
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps ; 
His day is marching on. 



222 

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; 
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat; 
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant my feet! 
Our God is marching on. 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, 
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me ; 
As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, 
While God is marching on. 



The Hon. Thomas ^IcCamaiit. late heutenant of Company 
" G," was then introduced and dehvered the foHowing address : 

Address of Lieutenant Thomas AIcCamant, of Company G. 

Comrades and Friends: Forty-two years have passed and 
gone since less than seven hundred men and boys, only forty days 
from their homes on the upper waters of the Juniata, in Blair 
and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, with an adjunct of sixty 
men, brought to them from the neighboring county of Cambria 
by our comrade and friend, Lieutenant Dunnegan, met and battled 
on the ground where we now stand, with a foe that was our equal 
in courage and valor. 

Almost one and one-half years had elapsed since the com- 
mencement of the war between the States of the South and North, 
and bitterness which has since disappeared was then very nearly 
at its height. 

Both North and South contended for the mastery with earnest- 
ness and obstinacy, and though we feel justified in calling the bat- 
tle here fought a Federal success, it must be borne in mind that in 
previous engagements in the East between the armies of the North 
and the armies of the South, prestige of victory had generally 
been on the side of the South. 

The Army of the Potomac, made up of troops recruited prin- 
cipally in States of the North, that had been encamped within the 
defences of \\'ashington during the winter of ]86i-i862. was. in 
April of the latter year, transferred to Fortress ]\Ionroe. and by 
degrees advanced to Fair Oaks, a point within five miles of the 
citv of Richmond (the seat of gcn'crnment of the Sotithcrn Con- 
federacy), when disaster befell it. and it subseciuently met with a 
succession of defeats in what are known as the Seven Davs' bat- 



223 

ties, that ended at Malvern Hill on July first; and it then retired 
to Harrison's Landing, on the James river. 

The disaster at Fair Oaks and the subsequent Seven Days' 
battles around Richmond, followed by the retirement of the army 
to Harrison's Landing, caused a feeling of depression in the 
North, but the people of that section soon recovered hope, and 
saw that in order to crush the Rebellion in the Southern states 
and restore the Union, the armies in the field must be recruited 
to their maximum strength ; and the governors of the several 
states that had espoused the Federal cause, knowing full well that 
their people were of the same mind with themselves and would 
sustain them in efforts made to strengthen our armies in the field, 
addressed a communication to President Lincoln on June 22d, ask- 
ing him to call for additional troops to assist in bringing the Civil 
War to a close. 

To this communication the President made reply on July ist, 
and said he had decided to call into service an additional force of 
300,000 men, and an order to this effect was issued the following 
day. 

On July 7th. C. P. Buckingham, brigadier-general and assist- 
ant adjutant-general, sent a dispatch to Governor Curtin request- 
ing him to raise in Pennsylvania, as soon as practicable, twenty- 
one new regiments of volunteer infantry, and on July 21st the 
Governor issued his proclamation calling for the said twenty-one 
new regiments of infantry. 

Under this call of the President, of July 2d, 1862, and the 
proclamation of Governor Curtin, of July 21st, 1862, the 125th 
Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers was raised, mainly in the 
counties of Blair and Huntingdon. Enlistments in the different 
companies were made purely out of patriotic motives, and, in less 
than two weeks' time, the regiment had in its ranks men from 
all walks in life ; the representative citizen, the professional man, 
the man of business, the mechanic, the farmer, and the day laborer 
were found among its numbers. A few of the men of the regi- 
ment had seen service in the late war with Mexico, some had been 
members of local military organizations before the Civil War, 
others had been in the late three months' service, but the great 
majority of its members had no previous military experience. 

The several companies rendezvoused at Camp Curtin, near 
Harrisburg, early in the month of August, and were mustered into 



224 

United States service daily from the loth to the i6th of the 
month. ( )n the latter date the regiment was organized and 
departed that night for ^^'ashington. It reached there at noon 
the next day, and reported to General Casey, in command at that 
point. Arms were stacked on Capitol Hill, where the regiment 
remained tmtil the following morning, and then moved out Penn- 
sylvania aventie to the Potomac river, crossed the same on the 
Long Bridge, and, after marching into the state of \ irginia, a dis- 
tance of perhaps seven miles, halted at Hunter's Chapel, where 
the artillery of Plenker's division lay encamped the preceding win- 
ter. The regiment was made a part of General Whipple's com- 
mand, in charge of the defences of Washington, and the camp we 
established here was named Camp Welles, after Gideon Welles, 
then Secretary of the Navy. 

\\'e were the first of the new troops from Pennsylvania to 
come here. l)ut t)ther regiments arrived daily, and the camp v.-as 
soon filled to overflowing. Drill and fatigue duties were constant 
and heavy. \\'e continued in this camp until August 26th. when 
we moved to a new one. near h'ort Barnard, where the same heavy 
duties were exacted of us, and where we remained until we started 
on the Maryland campaign, on September 6th. 

The exigencies of the general Government were great at this 
time. This is shown by the official records of the War of the 
Rebellion. We find therein that on August 12th the President 
dispatched Governor Curtin as follows : 



It is very iiiii)ortant for some regiments to arrive here at once. What 
hick yon fnnii ns? What can we do to expedite matters? Answer. 

A. LixcoLX. 



To this dispatch Governor Curtin replied the same tlay. as 
follows : 



'I hree regiments will l)e organizetl thi> morning, and leave as soon as 
transpdrlation is readv. We have 13,000 men liere. and will organize 
as rapidly as cqnipmcnts and transportation can be provided. The regi- 
ments from Lancaster can go, and expect to liear from Philadelphia that 
same are ready there. 

A. G. CuRTix. Governor. 



225 

On August 1 8th, the second day after our regiment left Har- 
risburg, these same official records of the War of the Rebellion 
show that General Halleck telegraphed Brigadier-General 
Ketchum, stationed at Harrisburg, as follows : 

Confer with Governor Curtin, and urge upon him the importance 
of pushing forward troops without a moment's delay. The enemy 
is accumulating troops more rapidly than we are, and reinforcements 
must be sent us with all possible haste. 

H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief. 

These times of exigency were accompanied and succeeded by 
days of gloom at Washington, which the resume of events we now 
give will show, to wit: The forces of General Banks, McDowell 
and Fremont were consolidated in the month of July and made 
one command, known as the Army of Virginia, under the control 
of General Pope. During the same month Stonewall Jackson's 
division was detached from General Lee, and on August 9th met 
and defeated at Cedar Mountain the part of said Army of Vir- 
ginia, subsequently denominated the Twelfth Army Corps, of 
which our regiment formed a part. On August 13th, General 
Longstreet's division was also detached from General Lee's army, 
and joined Stonewall Jackson on August 15th. On August i6th 
Harrison's Landing, on the James river, was evacuated by the 
Arm\- of the Potomac, and the said army was transferred to 
Acquia Creek Landing and Alexandria. Previous to this, troops 
of General Burnside's command in North Carolina and seven 
regiments from General Hunter's command in South Carolina 
that had been brought to Fortress Monroe and Newport News 
were also transferred to Acquia Creek Landing, and about the 
same time a division commanded by General Cox, that had been 
operating in western Virginia, was brought to Washington. 
These troops, or the larger part of them, were at once sent to the 
relief of the Army of Virginia that was being confronted on the 
Rappahannock river by General Lee's Confederate Army of 
Northern Virginia. General Pope says his Army of Virginia 
battled with the enemy almost continuously from August i8th 
to August 26th. On August 27th the line of the Rappahannock 
river was abandoned, and the Army of Virginia moved to Gaines- 
ville, and that evening there was a hard fight at Kettle Run, 
15 



226 

between Generals Hooker and Ewell. On August 28th, 29th and 
30th, there was fighting all along the line at Groveton, and General 
Pope had to fall back to Centreville. Then General Lee sent 
Stonewall Jackson to the Little River turnpike, to turn the right 
flank of the Federal army, and this brought on the battle of Chan- 
tilly, where Generals Kearney and Stevens were killed, and caused 
that army to retire to the defences of Washington. 

This succession of disasters was the cause of the gloom at 
Washington, to which we have previously referred. The situation 
existing at the time the army was retiring to the defences at 
Washington is best given by General AlcClellan, when he took 
command of it on September 2d, in language as follows : 

" The President and General Halleck came to my house, when the 
President informed me that Colonel Kelton had returned from the 
front ; that our affairs were in bad condition ; that the army was in full 
retreat upon the defences of Washington, the roads filled with stragglers, 
etc. He instructed me to take steps at once to stop and collect the 
stragglers ; to place the works in a proper state of defence, and to go 
out to meet and take command of the army when it approached the 
vicinity of the works, then to place the troops in the best condition, com- 
mitting everything to my hands." 

The Confederate ami}-, or Ami}' of Northern \'irginia, so 
called, was overjo}-ed with its many successes, so recently 
achieved, and its commander decided to move it towards the 
upper Potomac, but on arriving at Leesburg he found the Federals 
that had l)een at Winchester and stibsequentl}" at Martinsbtirg 
had withdrawn to Harper's Ferry. He then made up his mind 
to enter the state of Alaryland with his army, to relieve her people 
from the thraldom in which the South supposed they were held 
by the North, and to secure supplies if not recruits. General 
Walker, in his article in the Century Magazine in the year 1886. 
gives the fmiher designs of General Lee on going into ^Maryland 
to be the destruction of the aqueduct of the Chesapeake and Ohio 
Canal, at the mouth of the Monocacy, the capture of Harper's 
Ferry, a few days' rest at ILigerstown. supplying the army with 
shoes and clothing there, the destruction of the Baltimore and 
Ohio Railroad, a march to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the 
destruction of the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over the Susque- 
hanna river five miles west of that place: and that General Lee 



227 

then said to him that, with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 
their possession and the Pennsylvania Railroad broken, the Great 
Lakes would be the only route left to the West, and he could then 
turn his attention to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. 
But part only of this programme was carried out, which subse- 
quent events show. 

General Lee crossed the Potomac river into Alaryland at 
White's Ford on September 5th, with Stonewall Jackson's division 
in the lead. It is reported that when in the middle of the river 
he arose in his saddle, took off his hat, and the army joined in 
singing" " Maryland," which at that time was the favorite song 
of the South. He moved to and occupied Frederick City with his 
army on September 6th, where he issued his well-known address, 
that had the opposite effect from what was intended. It did not 
arouse Marylanders and brought but few recruits to the Confed- 
erate army. This we learned when we reached the city one week 
later. 

When it was known that the Confederate army had entered 
Maryland, the Federal army, or Army of the Potomac, also moved 
into that state, and on the evening of September 6th our regiment 
was assigned and ordered to report to the Twelfth Army Corps, 
then at Rockville, Maryland. Tents were at once struck, haver- 
sacks packed with what few rations we had on hand, and we 
moved rapidly towards Georgetown, where we crossed the Poto- 
mac and took a road leading to Rockville. This place we reached 
next morning. We reported to General A. S. Williams, then tempo- 
rarily in command of said corps, and were assigned to the first 
brigade of the first division of the same. The division at that time 
was in command of General George H. Gordon, of Massachu- 
setts, and the brigade in command of General S. W. Crawford, of 
Pennsylvania, but subsequently Colonel Joseph F. Knipe, of the 
46th Pennsylvania Regiment. The brigade, after our assignment 
to it, was composed of the loth Maine, 5th Connecticut. 28th New 
York, and 46th, 124th, 125th and 128th Regiments of Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers. 

General McClellan moved army headquarters to Rockville on 
September 7th, and, not knowing the designs of the enemy, on 
going into Maryland, he resolved to move forward cautiously, so 
as to cover both Washington and Baltimore, and also keep the 
troops well in hand, to be able to concentrate and follow in case 



228 

Pennsylvania was invaded. He divided the army into three col- 
unms, a right wing consisting of the First and Ninth Corps, in 
command of General Burnside, a centre consisting of the Second 
and Twelfth Corps, in command of General Sumner, and a left 
wing consisting of the Sixth Corps and Couch's division of the 
Fourth Corps, in command of General Franklin. In this order 
the army moved from Rockville, the initiative being taken by the 
right wing. Sykes' division of Regulars, of the Fifth Corps, and 
Morrell's division of the same corps, joined the army later on. The 
centre column, to which our regiment was attached, moved from 
Rockville on September 9th, and at this time the roads were so 
blocked with artillery wagons and the movement of troops that 
our suppl}- train could not reach us, and we were obliged to live 
from that time until September 19th on green corn and green 
apples and what we could beg or buy. The first da}-'s march 
brought us to Middle Brook, the second day to Damascus, and 
the third day to Ijamsville. 

We crossed the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at this place on 
the morning of September 13th and moved rapidly towards Fred- 
erick City. When we reached the IMonocacy creek cannonading 
was heard, but when we crossed the creek and came to the city we 
learned the cannonading was caused by a skirmish between the 
rear-guard of the enemy and our cavalry advance, in the Catoctin 
hills ; also that the enemy had left the city the preceding evening. 
We were received kindly by the citizens of the place, who soon 
showed us they were true to the Federal cause. They could not, 
however, supply our wants, for the reason that they had been 
stripped of provisions by the Confederate army. At this place, 
in the camp of the 27th Indiana Regiment, attached to the second 
brigade of the first division of our Twelfth Corps, was found a 
copv of General Lee's lost order, that gave General ^^IcClellan full 
information of the intentions of the enemy and of the proposed 
capture of Harper's Ferry, and on receiving this information he 
threw forward the right wing of the army to the Middletown 
Valley that afternoon, and prepared to follow with the lialance of 
the army the next morning. 

On the morning of September T4th General Cox's Kanawha 
division, temporarily attached to the Ninth Corps, moved from 
the borough of Middletown to the support of General Pleasanton's 
cavalrv division, then at the foot of South Mountain. It reached 



229 

there at nine o'clock, and at once commenced to ascend the moun- 
tain. This division of General Cox was composed entirely of 
Ohio regiments, and had among its members several men who, in 
after years, became prominent in public life. One regiment alone 
(the 23d Ohio) had on its rolls the names of Rutherford B. Hayes 
and William McKinley, each of whom was then present and subse- 
quently became President of the United States. In ascending the 
mountain the division moved by the left of the road known as 
the Old Sharpsburg or Braddock road, and encountered the Con- 
federate division of D. H. Hill at Fox's Gap, and brought on the 
battle of South Mountain, in which other troops took a part. 

The Twelfth Corps was ordered to move from Frederick City 
at nine o'clock that morning, and it, or part of it, at least, did 
move at that time, but was halted for two hours in the streets 
of the town to allow other commands to pass, and when we 
moved again it was by the Shookstown road to the Catoctin hills, 
among which we marched to screen ourselves from the enemy's 
view. Towards evening we came to a point where we could hear 
the roar of cannon and discharges of musketry, and notice that 
a battle was on. We were then ordered to move more rapidly, so 
as to reach the scene of action if possible. At dusk we crossed 
the Catoctin creek, that flows at the foot of the mountain, and 
soon thereafter passed ambulances full of wounded men. Later 
on we filed to the lef f to allow an ambulance to pass that contained 
the remains of General Reno, who was killed that evening. We 
continued this march until three o'clock of the morning of Sep- 
tember 15th, when we halted in a field near the village of Bolivar, 
where the old Hagerstown road diverges to the right and the 
old Sharpsburg or Braddock road to the left. At break of day 
discovery was made that the enemy had fled during the night and 
left his dead and wounded on the field. 

This morning General Mansfield took command of the Twelfth 
Corps, and all were pleased with his fatherly appearance and the 
interest he took in us. General Williams now took charge of our 
division, which up to this date had been commanded by General 
Gordon. We moved at ten a. m. on the Hagerstown road, past 
trees and ground torn and ploughed by the battle of the preceding 
day. Soon thereafter we received the news of the surrender of 
Harper's Ferry by General Miles, and later on we met a flag of 
truce accompanied by a guard of Confederates in search of the 



230 

body of General Garland, of North Carolina, who was killed the 
day before. We reached Boonesboro at four o'clock in the after- 
noon, and learned our cavalry had a skirmish there in the morning. 
Here w^e left the Hagerstown road, and, moving to the left, halted 
in a field near the town of Keedysville, on the heels of the enemy, 
that had taken position on the heights beyond the Antietam creek ; 
and as our army approached the creek it was greeted by a heavy 
artillery fire from its western bank, to which Tidball's and Pettit's 
batteries of General Pleasanton's command replied. 

On examination of the position taken, as aforesaid, General 
McClellan decided it was too late to make an attack that evening. 
On the morning of September i6th. he found the enemy still in 
position for battle, west of the Antietam creek, though the line 
had been shortened and changed during the preceding night. 
The forenoon, he says, was spent " in reconnoitring the new 
position taken by the enemy, examining the grounds, finding 
fords, clearing the approaches, and hurrying up the ammunition 
and supply trains, which had been delayed by the rapid marches 
of the troops over the few practicable approaches from Frederick." 

He found out, through the reconnoissances he made, that the 
centre of the Confederate line opposed to him was along private 
roads and through a succession of fields extending towards the 
Antietam creek ; that the left was at a crossroads on the Hagers- 
town turnpike, beyond the house of David R. Miller, with a pro- 
tection of cavalry reaching to the Potomac at one of its sharp 
bends in this vicinity, and its right rested on the Suavely farm 
south of Sharpsburg, and that the distance from left to right 
was about three and one-half miles. He found out also that the 
Antietam creek near where the army was located was crossed by 
four stone bridges, the first or upper one on the road leading from 
Keedysville to Williamsport, the second one two and one-half miles 
below, on the Keedysville and Sharpsburg turnpike, the third one 
mile below the second, on the road leading to Rohrersville. known 
now as the liurnsidc bridge, and the fourth near the mouth of the 
Antietam creek, three miles below the third, on the Harper's Ferry 
road and he made the discovcrv that bridge number two was 
near his line and had to be defended by him, and that l)ridge num- 
ber three was strongly defended by the enemy. 

The Confederate line was adniirablv selected for defensive 



231 

purposes, and was partly in the shape of a curve. The steep 
banks of the Antietam creek and the sharp bends of the Potomac 
river afforded protection for the front and flanks of the army, 
whilst strips of woods and irregularities in the ground within the 
line concealed it from view. The Confederate forces were so 
arranged as to cover the Shepherdstown ford into Virginia and 
the town of Sharpsburg, where General Lee established his head- 
quarters. In this strong position that he selected for his army 
he decided to fight the battle that events had forced on him, and 
which it was said he could not avoid without losing his prestige. 

A further brief description of the ground where the left and 
centre of the Confederate army rested, and where the hard fight- 
ing took place the next morning, in which our regiment partici- 
pated, is necessary to a proper understanding of the battle on this 
part of the field. 

To the northwest front of a belt of timber known as the east 
woods, since cut down, was the house and orchard of David R, 
Miller. The Hagerstown turnpike, extending from Hagerstown 
to Sharpsburg, runs close to said house, and in a field some dis- 
tance in front of the house there were then straw stacks. In the 
rear of the house there was at that time a small cornfield, and 
further back, with intervening ground full of irregularities, such 
as gullies, depressions and rocks, there was a woods known as 
Sam Poft'enberger's woods. To the right of the irregular ground, 
looking towards the Miller house, was the north woods, near 
where the left of the Confederate line rested. To the left and 
south of the house of David R. Miller w^as a large cornfield that 
reached from the east woods to the Hagerstown turnpike ; adjoin- 
ing it on the left and south was a smaller field that was harrowed, 
and which also extended from the east woods to the Hagerstown 
turnpike, and adjoining the harrowed field on the left and south 
was a field that had been in clover, but was then partly ploughed, 
and it, too, extended to the Hagerstown turnpike. The turnpike 
runs in front of these three fields, and beyond it, where we now 
stand, there was another belt of timber, since cut down, known 
as the west woods. Towards the southeastern edge of the west 
woods, there stood and still stands, the historic Dunker church, 
that was whitewashed, and first taken to be a schoolhouse. To the 
right of the west woods in the direction of the Nicodemus fann, 
and near wdiere the straw stacks, as aforesaid, were located, there 



232 

was a small woods to which no name was given. Through the 
east woods and skirting the southeastern edge of the harrowed 
field and the whole of the clover field that was partly ploughed 
ran the Smoketown road, that terminated at the Hagerstown turn- 
pike opposite the Dunker church. South of said road, after it left 
the east woods, was the Mumma farm, and adjoining it, in the 
direction of the Antietam creek, was. the Roulette farm. South- 
east of the Dunker church, towards Sharpsburg, is the lane, now 
known as the " bloody lane," that leaves the Hagerstown turnpike 
and connects with other lanes, leading to different farmhouses, 
and some distance in front of this lane, further towards Sharps- 
burg, was the Piper house and farm. 

The ground of which this rough description is given was des- 
tined on the morrow to be the scene of the most sanguinary single 
day's conflict of the Civil War. 

We have previously stated that General McClellan had spent 
the forenoon of September i6th in reconnoitering, finding fords 
and hurr}ing up trains, but during part of this time there was a 
duel, that lasted forty minutes, between the Washington artillery 
of New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Federal batteries east of the 
Antietam creek, in which Major Arndt, of the First New York 
artillery, was mortally wounded. 

Having by noon finished his reconnoissances, and ascertained 
the position of the Confederate forces opposed to him, the General 
planned and made ready for battle. He decided to attack the 
enemy's left with the corps of Hooker and Mansfield, supported 
by Sumner and Franklin, whilst General Burnside's corps attacked 
his right, and when these movements were successful the centre 
was to be attacked, with other troops at his command. Headquar- 
ters were established at the Pry house, east of the Antietam creek, 
and at two o'clock that afternoon Plooker was ordered to cross 
that creek at the upper bridge and a ford nearby, with the divi- 
sions of Ricketts. ]\Ieade and Doubleday, and attack, and endeavor 
to turn the enemy's left. He left at four o'clock, and. cautiously 
feeling his way, came upon the enemy in the east woods soon 
after sunset, and a sharp engagement between Meade's division 
of Pennsylvania Reserves and Hood's Confederate division, aided 
by two brigades of Stonewall Jackson's command, took place, that 
lasted until dark, and in which Colonel McNeill, of the Pennsyl- 



233 

vania Bucktails, was killed. When firing ceased, both sides laid 
down to rest near each other. 

About the same time orders were given to Hooker to cross the 
Antietam and attack the enemy's left, General Sumner was ordered 
to have the corps of Mansfield follow Hooker during the night, 
and to hold his own corps in readiness to move in the morning. 

At ten o'clock that night our regiment received orders to be 
ready to move on a moment's notice, but we did not get ofif for one 
and one-half hours later, and when we did move we followed the 
lead in person of our corps commander. We were ordered not to 
allow canteens to rattle, or to speak above a whisper. We marched 
about three miles m a circuitous direction, and crossed the 
Antietam creek at the same ford where part of Hooker's command 
crossed in the afternoon. After midnight we halted in a ploughed 
field near the house of George Line, about one mile in rear of the 
east woods, where Hooker had met the enemy. Here we found 
a hospital had been established, and soon after halting the body 
of Colonel McNeill was borne past us to the hospital, and at this 
hospital General Mansfield died at four o'clock the following after- 
noon. An infantry picket line was in our immediate front, and 
beyond it there was a vidette line. 

With the first gray streaks of morning, of September 17th, 
battle in the east woods began between Hooker and Stonewall 
Jackson, the Pennsylvania Reserves, of Meade's division, opening 
the contest, which soon became general along the whole line. To 
the right of Meade was the division of Doubleday, partly astride 
the ntgerstown turnpike, and on Meade's left was the division of 
Ricketts, and for the possession of the east woods and large corn- 
field in front the contest was fierce and obstinate. 

We moved to the front at early dawn, and were perhaps one 
hour in reaching the field of action, owing to numerous halts that 
were made. Our movement was made mainly in column by com- 
pany closed en masse, and appeared to me to be in the shape of a 

letter Z. • , r 

Our brigade commander says his brigade was on the right of 
the line in this movement to the front. Stuart's Confederate light 
artillery shelled us from the right, and to our left we could see 
the barn on the Mumma farm on fire. When we came to Sam 
PoiTenberger's woods we met wounded men of the Pennsylvania 
Reserves going to the rear. Here a strong request for assistance 



234 

came to our corps commander from Hooker, and here our regi- 
ment quickly deployed, in reverse order, and by direction of 
General Crawford moved towards the stacks on the farm of David 
R. Miller, then back again, and then towards the east woods, wit- 
nessing many sad sights. 

Hooker had previously cleared the large cornfield of the 
enemy, and had pushed his columns on the right across the 
Hagerstown turnpike, towards the west woods, but was compelled 
to give way before superior numbers, whilst Ricketts, of his com- 
mand, met a similar fate on the left, but still held position in the 
edge of the east woods. Stonewall Jackson had received assist- 
ance from D. H. Hill's and Ewell's divisions, and was also rein- 
forced by Hood, who had been relieved the night before to give 
his men an opportunity to prepare something to eat. He (Rick- 
etts) fought hard to hold possession of the woods, but the large 
cornfield was again occupied by the enemy. 

As w^e approached the woods, troops of Duryea's brigade of 
Ricketts' division retired, and on open ground near the woods we 
received a volley of musketry from a small regiment therein, since 
ascertained to be the 5th Texas, that killed one of our men, and we 
are thought to be the reinforcement that Captain Ike M. Turner, 
of that regiment, mentions in his report of the battle. This is 
also believed to be the first loss sustained by the first division of 
the Twelfth Corps. The regiment still moved on, under fire, then 
fell back momentarily, and then again moved forward until it got 
a lodgment some distance back in the woods, and here we took 
position, says Colonel Knipe, of the 46th Pennsylvania Regiment, 
subsequently in command of our brigade. He also says the orig- 
inal intention was to have the 124th. 125th and 128th Pennsyl- 
vania Regiments of our brigade to first move to the front, but 
this plan was not carried out. 

At this time we think Greene's division of our corps were mak- 
ing read}- to move through the woods, and Goodrich's brigade of 
said division was detached and sent to the right to the assistance 
of General Patrick, of Hooker's command. About the same time 
the 124th Pennsylvania Regiment was detached and sent to the 
right, to the Hagerstown tiu-npike, past the house of David R. 
Miller. 

When the corps got fairly in position, Ijatlling. which had been 



235 

severe, now became terrific, and for the next three honrs a rich 
harvest of death was reaped on the right of the Federal Hne. 

The several regiments of our brigade moved to the front of 
the east woods separately. The 46th Pennsylvania, 28th New 
York and loth Maine led the wa)- and were followed by the 125th 
and 128th Pennsylvania. The brigade commander (Colonel 
Knipe) says the three leading regiments opened fire on the enemy 
at the cornfield, about two hundred and fifty yards in their front. 
Our regiment moved rapidly to their support, but after nearing 
the positions they had taken we were halted, and the 128th Penn- 
sylvania immediately filed to our right and partly through our line, 
and occupied ground on the right of the 46th Pennsylvania. Here 
Major Wanner, of that regiment, says General Mansfield ordered 
deployment to be made, but before the order could be carried into 
effect' their colonel was killed and lieutenant-colonel wounded, and 
there was much confusion and excitement, and that the eJiemy 
was concealed in the cornfield, sixty or seventy yards in their 
front. Thev appeared to us to be losing heavily from a foe that 
was under cover, and the recollection of our men is that at this 
time General :\Iansfield rode forward to reconnoitre and was 
mortallv wounded bv a sharp-shooter. This was about seven o'clock 
in the 'morning, and practically at the commencement of the 
engagement on\he part of the first brigade of the first division of 
the Twelfth Corps. 

The greater portion of the east woods was west of the Smoke- 
town road, and in this western portion, on a knoll, then wooded 
and partlv rockv. Colonel Croasdale, of the 128th Pennsylvania 
Regiment, was killed, and in front of this knoll, it may be to the 
right or left, we say General Alansfield received his mortal wound. 
'' Major John M. Gould, late adjutant of the loth Maine Regi- 
ment, placed a marker east of the Smoketown road, on the spot. 
he says, where General Mansfield was wounded, and the State of 
Connecticut, in the vear 1900, erected a monument on the eastern 
edge of said road, designating practically the point marked In- 
Major Gould as the place where the wounding occurred, and it is 
one hundred and forty yards or more to the left rear of what we 
thoroughly believe to be the true location. His account of the 
wounding given in his history of the ist, loth and 29th Maine 
Regiments and in his pamphlet on "General Mansfield at Antie- 



236 

tarn " differs matci'iall\- from ours in fixing" the place he does 
where the wounding- occurred, and in giving the loth Maine Regi- 
ment credit for first assisting the General after he was wounded. 
We sa}' that very soon after the General rode to the front to 
reconnoitre he came back, and some distance from our line it 
was noticed by Captain Gardner, of Company " K," of our regi- 
ment, that there was something wrong with him, and he at once 
ordered Sergeant John Caho and Private Samuel Edmundson, 
of his company, to go to his assistance, and as they did so Private 
E. S. Rudy, of Company " H," joined them ; also two other men 
not of our regiment. They saw the General was seriously 
wounded, and at once helped him from his horse, then reversed 
their muskets, placed hiiu on the same and carried him to a tree a 
short distance in the rear, where a surgeon appeared and where 
he was delivered to a second ])arty, believed to be of the loth 
Maine Regiment, who carried him still further to the rear in a 
blanket, and placed him in an ambulance that conveyed him to 
the farmhouse of George Line, from whence we started to the 
front at break of day. This statement practically corresponds with 
one made to me by Captain T. J. ?Tamilton, late of the 28th Penn- 
sylvania Regiment, when on this field in October; 1894. He said 
at the time of the occurrence he was temporarily detached from 
his regiment and witnessed the same. Our colonel's report of 
the battle, made five days after it took place, when all facts Avere 
fresh in memory, states that our men carried the general olf 
the field on muskets until a blanket was procured, whilst the report 
of Lieutenant-Colonel Fillebrown, of the loth ]\Iaine Regiment, 
does not mention or refer to so important a matter as the fatal 
wounding of our corps commander. General Joseph F. Knipe, 
when on the field with me, on ]\Iay 29th, 1897, said, without hesi- 
tation, after looking at the spot marked by Major (iould, that it 
was much too far to the left and rear, and that the wounding 
occurred in front of the leading regiments of the brigade. I was 
again on the field on May i6th, 1901, with Captain E. L. Witman, 
who was an aide on the staff of General Crawford, but detailed for 
duty with General Mansfield on the day of the battle. He went 
over the ground, examined different locations, pointed out the 
knoll on which Colonel Croasdale, of the 128th Regiment, was 
killed, and then said that he saw Croasdale killed, and was in the 
act of delivering a message from Mansfield to Crawford, when 



237 

the former was wounded ; that on his immediate return he found 
men with new uniforms carrying the general to the rear on mus- 
kets ; that he at once reported the wounding to Crawford, who 
ordered him to get the General to a safe place, and on hurrying 
back he found another party of men carrying him still further to 
the rear in a blanket and placing him in an ambulance on the 
Smoketown road ; that it was west of said road, near the mound 
where Colonel Croasdale had been killed, that he saw the first 
party assisting the General to the rear and that he was certain 
the wounding occurred further to the front, and nearer the large 
cornfield than the spot marked by Major Gould. The location we 
fix is practically the same that Daniel Mumma, proprietor of a 
livery stable in Sharpsburg, pointed out to me on September i8th, 
1888, and said it was shown him three days after the battle by the 
surgeon who ministered to the General when he was wounded. 

After the wounding of General Mansfield our regiment moved 
to the rear and halted for a time, then quickly obliqued to the left 
front of the woods on the edge of the harrowed field south of the 
large cornfield, where we found a few of the 90th Pennsylvania 
Regiment, and Colonel A. J. Sellers, of that regiment, says they 
were the last of Hooker's men to leave the east woods. In their 
front was an iron gun battery, supposed to be Edgel's First New 
Hampshire Battery, that was exchanging shots with a Confederate 
battery on the limestone ledge near the Dunker church, where the 
Maryland monument now stands. At this time Greene's division 
of our corps had driven the Confederates from the woods, and 
other troops of the corps had cleared the cornfield of the enemy. 
Here our regiment, that had been in reverse order, righted itself, 
and moved quickly through the harrowed field and field partly 
ploughed, to the Smoketown road, passing many dead and 
wounded and capturing prisoners who had sought refuge behind 
rocky knolls. As we approached the road Monroe's First Rhode 
Island Battery came up and, taking position on rising ground in 
our front, silenced the Confederate battery near the church and 
paid attention to other batteries further distant. This battery we 
were ordered to support, and exceedingly severe was the enemy's 
fire at this point, especially at mounted officers. To protect our- 
selves, we lay on our faces, and persuaded our colonel and lieu- 
tenant-colonel to dismount, and scarcely had the latter done so 
when he was disabled by the explosion of a shell. General Hooker 



238 

now rode up to us and asked if any troops were in the west 
woods in our front, and was told none but Confederates. Whilst 
he and our colonel were talking, his horse was hit by a ball, to 
which his attention was called, and he quickly rode away. He 
may then have been wounded himself, for in his report of the 
battle he says he was not aware he had been wounded, and had to 
be lifted from his saddle through weakness caused by loss of 
blood. This was after he rode to the rear and before General 
Sumner arrived on the field. 

When the fire of the battery we supported slackened, an officer, 
to us unknown, ordered the regiment into the west woods, and as 
we moved forward some Confederate troops retired and sought 
refuge in hollowed ground to our right, ^^'e were the first Fed- 
eral regiment to enter those woods. At their eastern edge we 
halted, and Company " B " was detached and ordered to the 
church to see if a foe was concealed there, but found only wounded 
Confederates. Company " G " was also detached and thrown for- 
ward as a line of skirmishers. The other companies of the regi- 
ment followed the skirmishers to an elevation of ground near an 
outcropping of rocks. This was our advance position in the woods 
as a regiment, and is close to a straight line from the right of the 
point where our nionument is located. The skirmishers were 
again sent forward and penetrated the woods without serious 
resistance, until they reached their northwestern edge, near where 
straw stacks stood and ^\•hcre a cai)tured Confederate said a hos- 
pital had been established. Here the skirmish line was fired upon 
and one man was wounded. This line is the body of troops Gen- 
eral Early speaks of in his report of the battle, when he savs " a 
body of the enemy, perhaps only skirmishers, had gotten into the 
woods to the left and was firing upon our men." Our skirmish 
line then retired to the main portion of the regiment, that had 
fallen back from the position previously taken, and the company 
at the church rejoined us. The enemy that had fired on the skir- 
mishers followed them in force, and on nearing the position of the 
regiment made a strong attack on it, but this attack, as well as 
three other separate assaults, were successfully resisted, but with 
heavy loss to ourselves. We had previously made the discovery 
that we were distant from other troops of our corps, and entirely 
without support on our flanks, and assistance was called for. 
Soon thereafter General Sunnier rode forward and took in the 



239 

situation at a glance. He rode rapidly back, and then General 
Gorman, of Sedgwick's division, reported that his brigade was 
coming up but was some distance back. Shortly afterwards the 
34th New York Regiment, of said brigade, came up on the double- 
quick, and taking position to our left and rear, commenced firing 
at the flanking column on the left ; but the two regiments were not 
sufficiently strong to contend long with the heavy force hurled 
against them, and were obliged to retire behind the batteries sta- 
tioned in the field in the rear that was partly ploughed, after a 
contest that lasted from twenty minutes to one-half hour, the 
greater portion of which time the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment 
was alone. The enemy followed our retreat, delivering a wither- 
ing fire at both regiments, and at other troops of Sedgwick's divi- 
sion that were then arriving on the field, until halted by the bat- 
teries. This force of the enemy, we are informed, consisted of 
Kershaw's brigade, supported by Walker's division and Early's 
brigade. It was driven back principally by the fire of the batteries, 
and then Sedgwick's division advanced, but when it reached the 
woods they were again a sheet of flame. The enemy had been 
reinforced and caused Sedgwick to give way, though not with- 
out heavy loss to themselves as well as to Sedgwick. The advance 
made by the enemy extended on our right to the point where the 
second brigade of our division had been battling, and General 
Crawford was wounded in the thigh in rallying some troops here. 
On the left it reached General Greene's division of our corps, 
moving from the Mumma farm, but was repelled by it, and it sub- 
sequently pushed forward to the Dunker church and got position 
in the woods there, which it held until near the time Franklin's 
corps came on the field. 

French and Richardson, of Sumner's corps, reached the field 
after Sedgwick, and bearing to the left of General Greene, of our 
corps, engaged D. H. Hill in the sanguinary struggle on the Rou- 
lette farm and at the bloody lane, and in which assistance was 
rendered by General Franklin, who came up from Pleasant Valley 
about noon. This struggle lasted for three and one-half hours. 
Subsequently Hill was reinforced by R. H. Anderson's division, 
and against these two forces French and Richardson fought at the 
Piper house, and near here General Richardson was mortally 
wounded, also the Confederate General, G. B. Anderson. 

Soon after Franklin arrived, Captain Monroe, whose battery 



240 

we supported before we entered the west woods, rode up to our 
colonel and appealed to us to save his guns, that were then on 
our left front, and said that his horses had been shot and the guns 
were about to be captured. To the command forward we moved 
on the double-quick, drove the enemy back, rescued the guns, and 
received the thanks not only of the commander of the battery, but 
also of General Franklin. 

The contest during the balance of the day was transferred 
further to the centre and to the left, though a heavy artillery fire 
was kept up on the right, that lasted until after dark. I shall 
simply give a general description of the same, but others will no 
doubt give fuller and more minute descriptions. 

'North of the Dunker church Stuart attempted a flank move- 
ment on the Federal line, but was driven back by an artillery fire 
from thirty batteries directed upon him by Doubleday. About 
the same time Pleasanton crossed the Antietam creek at bridge 
number two, with a force of cavalry and light artillery, and formed 
a flank support for Richardson at the Piper house, and later he 
repelled a threatened attack on Flancock, who took command of 
Richardson's division after he was mortally wounded. 

Soon after Pleasanton crossed the creek a battalion of regulars 
followed and moved to his assistance. This movement was also 
followed by four other battalions, that made their way up the hill 
where the National Cemetery is now located, and drove off sharp- 
shooters, and rendered valuable service otherwise. 

The charge on the left, that carried Antietam bridge number 
three, was made by Burnside at one o'clock in the afternoon, and 
at great cost of life. Other troops followed the ones that charged 
the bridge, and the outskirts of Sharpsburg were reached, but 
the strong division of A. P. Hill that had come up from Harper's 
Ferry was now encountered, and a bitter contest followed, in 
which General Rodman and other valuable officers were killed. 
Some ground was lost here, but it was subsequently recovered and 
the Federal line restored. 

Night came on soon afterwards, and Antietam, generally 
admitted to be the bloodiest and most severe of all the single day's 
battles of the Civil War, was over. 

Both armies rested where they fought, and the contest was not 
renewed the next day. 

The following night the Confederate army crossed the Poto- 



241 

mac river into Virginia at the Shepherdstown ford, and left behind 
them their unburied dead and many wounded. They had been 
terribly punished, and General Longstreet said that they were in 
no condition to wait long for a renewal of the attack from 
McClellan. 

The battle can be properly called a Federal victory. It did 
much towards stimulating the recruiting at the North, and Presi- 
dent Lincoln followed it by issuing his Emancipation Proclama- 
tion. 

From 23,000 to 30,000 men went down in that one day's con- 
test, and evidences of the severity of the engagement were many 
all over the field. On the right, the large cornfield, the fields 
around and in front of the house of David R. Miller, and beyond 
the Hagerstown turnpike in the direction of the Nicodemus farm, 
and the small strip of woods northwest of the west woods, were 
covered with the dead. In the west woods, the field partly 
ploughed, the harrowed field, and everywhere around the Dunker 
church, the dead were so thickly strewn in places that it required 
care to step without treading on a dead body, and mingled with 
them were many dead horses and broken artillery wagons. The 
Mumma farm, the Roulette farm and the Piper farm presented 
similar scenes, and at the bloody lane the dead lay three and four 
deep. The left of the line also had its full proportion of dead and 
wounded. 

General Hooker, in his report of the battle, says it was never 
his fortune to witness a more bloody, dismal battlefield. William 
F. Fox, in his work on "Regimental Losses in the Civil War," 
says : " Antietam was the bloodiest battle. More men were killed 
in one day than any other one day of the war," and Richard Meade 
Bache, in his life of General Meade, says of Antietam : " It was a 
terribly bloody day, the bloodiest single day of any in the annals 
of the Civil War." General Hood, in his volume styled " Advance 
and Retreat," published at New Orleans, La., in the year 1880, 
says : " This most deadly conflict raged till our last round of 
ammunition was expended. The ist Texas Regiment lost in the 
cornfield full two-thirds of its number, and whole ranks of brave 
men, whose deeds were unrecorded save in the hearts of loved 
ones at home, were mowed down in heaps, to the right and left. 
Never before was I so continuously troubled with fear that my 
horse would further injure some wounded fellow-soldier, lying 
16 



242 

helpless on the ground . . . With the close of this bloody 
day ceased the hardest fought battle of the war," and General 
Longstreet, in his book styled " From Manassas to Appomattox," 
says " the field lying along the Antietam and including in its scope 
the little town of Sharpsburg, was destined to pass into history as 
the scene of the bloodiest single day's fighting of the war, and the 
17th of September was to become memorable as the greatest 
carnage in the campaign between the North and the South." 

Our regimental losses were sustained principally in the west 
woods, and in the field in the rear that was partly ploughed, and 
through which we fell back when w^e were obliged to retire from 
the woods. Here our color-guard went down and our colors were 
rescued by dififerent comrades, and finally carried by Captain 
Wallace, of the color compan}-, who placed them in a decayed 
stump in the rear of our batteries, and around them we rallied. 

We had 54 men either killed instantly or who died of their 
wounds soon after the engagement, 91 seriously wounded, some 
of whom afterwards died, and 84 slightly wounded, and these 
losses were all sustained in one month and one day after the regi- 
ment was organized. 

In reports of battle we were complimented specially by our 
division commander. General Crawford, and generally by our 
corps commander. General Williams, for our conduct on the 
field, but we only claim for ourselves that we strove to do our 
duty, and not that we rendered superior service. 

Our numbers have become less than they were forty-two years 
ago. Time has wrought havoc in our ranks. Some were lost in 
battle after Antietam, and others w^ere carried away and are 
still carried away by disease. We realize that w^e are on the 
border line of old age, and after ten years more shall have passed 
away but few of us will be left to tell the story of Antietam on 
the part of the 125th Pennsylvania Regiment, but the monument 
that the good old Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has provided 
for us, and which we dedicate to-day, will remain where it now 
stands, to teach the lesson of patriotism to future generations, and 
to show relatives and friends where we fought for the preservation 
of the Union on a field that history records as the most stubbornly 
contested of all the single-day engagements of the late Civil War. 

In conclusion, my comrades and friends, let us all feel that 
we have reason to thank God that we are now a reunited nation, 



243 

although it did require four years of bloody strife to bring this 
about ; and let us all hope and trust that never again will there be 
a war among ourselves, but forever hereafter we shall have but 
one country and one flag, and that country shall be our common 
country, the United States of America, and that flag the Stars and 
Stripes of our native land. 

Hon. J. D. Hicks, of Altoona, Pa., late of Company " K," made 
the following address : 

Mr. Chairman and Friends : I cannot refrain on this historic occasion 
from quoting the language of poetry and say in honor of our fallen com- 
rades : 

How sleep the brave who sink to rest, 
By all their country's wishes blest, 
By fairy hands their knell is rung ; 
By forms unseen their dirge is sung. 
Here Honor comes a pilgrim gray. 
To deck the turf that wraps their clay. 

How true these words of the poet are of our dear departed dead. This 
entire nation rises to-day and is of one accord in doing honor to the 
brave and heroic men who gave their lives for the perpetuation of our 
union and the preservation and glory of its flag. Around this church on 
this great battlefield there clusters and lingers in the minds of the 
survivors the never-to-be-forgotten shock and turmoil of the battle. At 
the peep of day, ere the sun had cast a ray over the towering Blue Ridge, 
Hooker's men opened the fight, and with cheers that will ring down the 
corridors of time and achieving results that will ever shine on the pages 
of historj^ they stood up man to man until our brothers of the south 
with shattered ranks were compelled to give way. At this juncture of 
the fierce contest, shortly after the sun was up and while the fog yet 
hung over the woods, Mansfield's men were deployed from close column 
by regiment into line of battle to actively pursue a fleeing foe. The men 
in gray soon rallied from the first terrific, overwhelming and deadly on- 
slaught and met Mansfield's brave boys, of which we were a part, with 
a leaden storm that cost us many precious lives, and that bore down 
many comrades with ghastly wounds ; among the fatally wounded in our 
immediate front was our gallant veteran general, who in pointing the 
way to victory was attesting his courage and love of country by showing 
us the enemy as they lay concealed in the wood and cornfield, within his 
view and along the Smoketown road. Ordinarily a battle would lag upon 
the death of such a leader as General Mansfield, but the enthusiasm and 
determination that had taken hold of the boys in blue on that morning 
did not falter at his fall, and with fresh impetus — as if to avenge the death 
of one so brave and fearless — the line moved irresistibly forward. The 
charge through the wood and cornfield and open ground, leading to the 



244 

Hagerstown pike was over three-quarters of a mile, and when we were 
lialted for re-formation we were in full view of the historic church around 
which we are now assembled. Moving forward again with no enemy in 
sight, we were moved in such a manner as to indicate that we were to 
ferret the whereabouts of the enemy. It was here and over yonder 
ledge, to which they had gone for shelter and rest from our withering 
fire we found them. By direction of Colonel Higgins, brave Captain 
McKeage, of Company G, with his skirmishers, and the sharp-shooters 
of the regiment uncovered their hiding place. With an eagle eye one of 
their commanders saw our exposed flanks, and by a movement that 
enveloped our entire regiment and especially our left flank, we were 
in a circle and exposed to a deadly cross fire, out of which tnere seemed 
but slight hope of a successful retreat. Captain Wallace, seeing the 
danger to which we were exposed, warned the men to be firm. Compan}' 
B was thrown out on a line east of this church, moving over the ground 
now occupied by our monument, as a protection to our left, and if possible 
stop the flanking column. It was a formidable, and what proved to be 
an impossible task, and within view of this spot over 150 of our regiment 
lay either dead or writhing in pain from the effect of the enemy's 
bullets. Our color-bearer, the gallant Simpson, whose form surmounts 
our beautiful monument, with our bright new flag in hand fell, and 
gave his precious life to his country. Adjutant Johnson and more than 
fifty others made a like sacrifice. Our noble artillerymen who had 
unlimbered their guns to our left and rear, begged us to open ranks and 
permit them to have a share of the work of the day. Captain Wallace 
after our flag had fallen five times from as many color-bearers, seized 
our colors and directed the rally of the regiment in the rear of the battery. 
The work of the battery in the repulse of the exulting foe cannot be 
described. The dead of our brave enemy attest the fearful sacrifice they 
made in driving us from the advanced position we had taken. 

With us after our retirement from the church, the principal work of 
the day was over, except to remain in position. The noble gunners, as 
before said, fearfully decimated the ranks of the enemy and the Sunken 
road to our left where our comrades of the One Hundred and Thirtieth 
were doing duty, was converted into the " Bloody Lane." As we saw that 
awful suffering, carnage and death enacted at that tragic spot, witliiu 
a few yards of where we now stand, we realized as never before the 
'■ horrors of war." In the afternoon we saw and heard the movements 
of Burnside's men as they crossed the creek and occupied the heights 
on the extreme left of the battlefield. Thus the history of the day is 
briefly and clearly told from the standpoint of a volunteer soldier. 

History records that 87,000 men were on the field under General McClel- 
lan, of whom about 57,000 were engaged in the battle. Of this number 
12,460 were wounded, killed or missing, and 2,019 were killed, while at 
least an equal number was killed and wounded on the other side and an 
equal number, or thereabouts, engaged. Of the brave comrades of the 
One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers that went with 
us that day into the battle and crossed these fair fields to the spot that 



245 

we now consecrate, fifty-four were killed and died of wounds, and 175 
were wounded, making a total loss of 229 of a possible 700 that entered 
the battle in the morning. To commemorate the bravery of these men 
and to point posterity to the sacrifices made, the great Commonwealth, 
of which we are citizens, has reared this beautiful and enduring shaft. 
Words will not properly portray, nor can pen indite a proper memorial 
to the brave young hearts whose life blood was shed in and around this 
historic spot. 

If this is the story of the day of but one of the many regiments that 
participated in this great contest we may well ask, what is the story of 
the night after the battle was over. Let us pause for a moment and 
think of the roll-call when the shades of evening had gathered; when 
the missing ones were known. Where were they? was the question asked 
by the surviving comrades as those present answered here. Who could 
tell the story of the missing comrades? Each of us had ari experience 
of his own, each of us had seen a comrade probably fall, or being carried 
ofif, and each then and there undertook to search for a missing one, and 
amid the gloom of that night, back of the field and amid the wounded 
and the dying, where the surgeons were at work, each of us received from 
some one a message for the loved ones at home, each of us had a letter 
to write, each had a home of his own with which to communicate and 
assure father, mother and friends of our safety. Each had a message 
to write to the friends of those who had fallen. With these thoughts in 
our hearts and messages in our minds the early hours of the following 
morning found us in our ranks, lying on our arms in the line of battle, 
expecting to be awakened by the shrill call of the bugle, or the roll of 
the drum to renew the contest. 

This is not the time or place to dwell further upon this great con- 
test. The thought as well as the facts linger in memory's dream, and, as 
each unfold the scroll, and read from our minds hastily, the deeds of 
valor of our comrades who here gave their lives, and of this great 
action that was fraught with so much that was potent for the weal or 
woe of our great country, we have reason to be proud of the result and 
are thankful to a kind Providence for the preservation of our great 
nation, and the honor and glory of its people, and we rejoice in the fact 
that our country is to-day as was intended by our fathers, in deed and in 
fact and in truth, one country, under one flag, and that is the flag that 
was followed by the boys in blue on this tragic field to substantial vic- 
tory. " Old Glory," the flag we love so well, the emblem of freedom, 
equal rights and national unity. 

The Rev. Theodore L. Flood, D.D., late lieutenant of Com- 
pany " C," followed with the following remarks : 

Mr. President and Comrades: This is historic ground. Forty years 
ago to-day we were in a bloody battle on the soil where we are now 
gathered. Some of our number fell in the embrace of death. The bodies 



246 

of most of them were carried to their homes for honorable burial — a 
few were buried in the Antietam Cemetery among the unknown dead. 
A large number in our regiment were wounded. Inscribed on this monu- 
ment is this statement " Two hundred and twenty-nine men killed and 
wounded in the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Regiment on that day." 
This inscription alone speaks volumes concerning the fierceness of the 
conflict and the deadly struggle in which our regiment was engaged. 

It is an historic coincidence that our color-bearer, George Simpson, 
whose statue is the top piece of this monument, was shot in the temple 
and fell dead while carrying the flag of our regiment. He was the second 
man from me in line of battle, and his brother, J Randolph Simpson, Esq., 
of Huntingdon, Pa., w^as shot through the breast and carried off the 
field. He is among us to-day, alive but not well. And the sister of these 
two men has unveiled the monument from the statue of her brother 
to-day after forty years have passed. 

What reminiscences are suggested to memory as we turn our thoughts 
backward to the days when we marched to this field and fought in that 
battle under General McClellan. The scenes all about us after these 
forty years have passed speak of peace. The sod on the fields is green. 
Some of the woods have been felled, but the remaining trees show no 
signs of the awful rain of shot and shell that plowed through the branches 
and the trunks of the trees that stood here on that awful day. As we 
look abroad on these hillsides and in this valley, one would suppose 
that no such bloody conflict had ever taken place on this soil, but history 
will tell another story, — how the Union army met the Confederate army 
in the bloodiest open field battle of the Civil War — one in which there 
were more soldiers killed and wounded in one day than in any other one 
battle of the war. And here at the Dunkard Church where we fought 
and where this monument stands to the honor of the memory of ou'- 
fallen comrades was one of the bloodiest angles in that awful battle. 
We can only say, peace to the ashes of our dead, and may the blessings 
of God be upon the widows and the orphans of the men who died here 
for a united nation and a free people. 

Mr. Morris Davis, of Altooiia, Pa., who was a member of 
Company " D," read the following poem : 

ANTIETAM AFTER FORTY-TWO YEARS. 



Antietam : Gentle peaceful stream. 

Upon thy banks so fair, 
What memories, to the mind will turn 

Of one who lingers there. 

He hoars again, or seems to hear. 
The cannon's rumbling wheel, 

'Vhe rolling drum, the clanking spear, 
And the bugle's stirring peal. 



247 

He sees again, or seems to see, 

Along thy wooded crest, 
The southern hosts, with General Lee, 

As on their arms they rest. 

Jackson and Longstreet, Hill and Hood, 

With legions clad in gray. 
Along the hills and in the wood. 

Their battle lines array. 

Then, as he faces to the east. 

There rises to his view 
Another host, equal at least, 

With legions clad in blue. 

The old commander, " Little Mac," 
To place and power restored, 

With thousands eager at his back, 
To measure sword with sword. 

Over the gray, the southern cross. 

Floats on the morning air, 
Above the blue the breezes toss 

" Old Glory," bright and fair. 

And men are here, on either side. 
Some wearing blue, some gray. 

Who touching elbows met the tide 
Li many a former fray. 

But now they meet in mortal strife, 

No longer comrades true; 
A brother seeks a brother's life, 

As though no ties they knew. 

Spirit of Washington, restrain 

The rash vindictive hand 
That would in madness, rend in twain 

Thy blood-bought native land. 

Now Hooker, far out on the right. 

Already known to fame. 
Himself a host, opens the fight, 

With lustre to his name. 

Franklin, in the centre of the field, 

His men with Jackson vie, 
And though they know not how to yield, 

Thev do know how to die. 



248 

While here upon this rugged ground, 
Twelfth corps men rush and lurch; 

Mansfield receives a mortal wound, 
Near the famous Dunkard church. 

Here Barlow, having well bestowed, 

A storm of leaden rain, 
Has changed the name of Sunken Road 

To that of " The Bloody Lane." 

" Oh, Maryland, My Maryland," 

From thy devoted sod, 
What valiant men are called to stand 

This day, before their God? 

Down on the left, where Burnsides' knights 

Have waited mid-day sun, 
They storm the bridge and scale the heights, 

Before the day is done. 

And since that day this arch of stone 
Is known as " Burnside's Bridge " ; 

Now may the heights beyond be known 
By the name of " Rodman's Ridge." 

For here, before the close of day, 

Brave General Rodman fell. 
And bled his gallant life away 

For the cause he loved so well. 

But night has fallen on the scene. 
And now with bated breath 

Each warrior mourns with anguish keen 
For comrades cold in death. 

May the great God, who rules above. 
And guides the affairs of men. 

Forbid, in his infinite love 
Such fratricide again. 

The entire audience joined in singing " America." 

My country, 'tis of thee. 
Sweet land of liberty, 

Of thee I sing ! 
Land where our fathers died, 
Land of the pilgrims' pride. 
From every mountain side 

Let freedom ring. 



249 

Our Father's God to thee 
Author of Liberty, 

To Thee we sing — 
Long may our land be bright 
With freedom's holy light, 
Protect us by Thy might. 

Great God, our King. 

The Rev. E. A. Zeek pronounced the benediction. 

The following members of the regiment were present : Sur- 
geon F. B. Davison. 

Company A — O. G. Smith, John S. Dell, Thomas- W. Hurd, 
John Crowell, J. W. Grazier, J. P. Wolf. 

Company B — W. D. Fouse, Ephraim Gerst, James Geiser, 
James J. Houck, B. F. Wolfkill, Joseph Sias. 

Company C — Captain W. W. Wallace, J. R. Simpson, J. H. 
Friday, D. P. Henderson, Z. G. Cresswell, Porter A. Robb, Dr. 
W. B. Brenneman, Alex Denny, John White, Rev. E. A. Zeek, 
James A. Green, George W. Friedley, Rev. Dr. T. L. Flood, M. 
S. Lytle, George Ehman, H. A. Huffman. 

Company D— W. T. Miller, F. W. Gearhart, S. D. Aiken, R. 
M. Davis, E. L. Russ. 

Company E — Levi Leedom, H. M. Wilt. 

Company F — J. F. N. Householder, M. L. Protzman, F. H. 
Lane, Jacob Morgan, James A. Mitchell. 

Company G — Thomas McCamant, George R. Curtiss, Joseph 
H. Reed, Thomas J. Charles, H. H. Hewitt, Henry C. Taylor, 
William H. McClelland, D. F. Philips. 

Company H — James T. Foster, R. L. Hunter, William Davis. 

Company I — H. C. Warfel, Isaac Woomer, J. G. Coder, 
S. S. Coder, Frank Corbin. 

Company K — E. R. Dunnegan, J. D. Hicks, William P. Speil- 
man, John Coho. 

During the exercises and while the Hon. J. D. Hicks was 
delivering his address Governor Pennypacker and staff drove up 
to the monument and tarried awhile and shook hands with the 
survivors and their friends. At the order of regimental business 
Captain Wallace was re-elected president, Thomas McCamant 
vice-president, J. R. Simpson treasurer and J. D. Hicks and W. T. 
Miller secretaries. 



250 
DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT. 



Confederate Avenue, West of Dunker Church. 



A Color Sergeant with his regimental flag partly unfurled to the 
breeze, with eagerness written in every line of his manly face and lithe 
body, with hand on the sword at his side, ready to spring forward at 
the command to lead his comrades anywhere and everywhere they are 
ordered to go, well typifies the hero color-bearer of the One Hundred 
and Twenty-fifth Infantry who lost his life in this battle on the very 
spot marked by this grand monument. 

This statue is a portrait statue of Color Sergeant George A. Simpson 
and well illustrates the possibility of securing in enduring granite, faith- 
ful portraiture and detail of uniform and accoutrement. Stanley Edwards 
was selected as the artist to execute this portrait statue. 

The pedestal supporting this statue is built of four stones, two 
bases, die and cap. Rough quarry faced effects are shown in its com- 
position and very happily combined, with a touch here and there of 
fine hammered surfaces. This command was also of the Twelfth Corps 
and therefore the band of five pointed stars cut on the upper portion 
of the die stone is not only very appropriate, but very ornamental. 

A large five-pointed star, occupying the entire face of the left hand 
face of the die is also cut into the surface of the granite. 

On the front panel of the die is a large bronze inscription panel, as 
follows : 

125TH 

PENNSYLV.\NI.\ 

VOLUNTEERS 

INFANTRY 

1ST BRIG.XDE 1ST DIVISION 

I2TH CORPS 



RECRUITED IN BLAIR 

HUNTINGTON AND CAMBRIA 

COUNTIES PENNA 

On the right hand panel, a bronze panel bearing the following inscrip- 
tion : 

MOVED AT EARLY DAWN FROM BIVOUAC 
ON FARM OF GEORGE LINE TO EAST WOODS 
NEAR POINT WHERE GEN. J. F. MANSFIELD 
WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED FROM THERE TO 
SUPPORT MONROE'S FIRST RHODE ISLAND 
BATTERY ON SMOKETOWN ROAD THEN TO 
WOODS TH.\T STOOD HERE SEPTEMBER 1/ 
1862. WAS THE FIRST UNION REGIMENT 



251 

THEREIN BEING FAR ADVANCED AND WITHOUT 
SUFFICIENT SUPPORT IT WAS OUTFLANKED BY 
THE ENEMY AND RETIRED BEHIND BATTERIES 
IN FIELD IN REAR AND SUBSEQUENTLY 
SAVED THE GUNS OF MONROE'S BATTERY 
FROM CAPTURE. REMAINED IN LINE UNTIL 
CLOSE OF BATTLE MONUMENT IS NEAR 
THE LEFT OF ITS MAIN LINE OF BATTLE 

LOSS AT ANTIETAM 

KILLED AND DIED OF WOUNDS 54 

SERIOUSLY WOUNDED 9I 

SLIGHTLY WOUNDED AND NOT REPORTED 84 

229 

The cap stone has a battlement effect on its rough surfaces, sug- 
gestive of the ancient battle towers, that is very rugged and dignified, 
and on the front face of the plinth stone may be seen the record of the 
death of Color Sergeant George A. Simpson of this regiment. The 
square of the lower base is 6 feet, the height 9 feet, the total height, 
including staff of colors, i9'-4". 



PORTRAITS OF COMRADES 




CaptaiiN Frank M. Bell, 

Company A, i25th Regiment, P. V. 

Died March lo, igoi. 

(See pages 34, 132, 175, 295.) 




Wll.I I \M II. SlMI-i iN. 
Captain Co. F, 125111 Kegimeiit, P. V. Wounded at Aiitietam and 
Chancellorsville. 

(See pages 36, 2C2, and 311.) 




Captain John MacKeage, 

Company G, :2Sth Regiment, P. V. 

Died February 12, 1874. 

(See pages 36, 91, 137, 175, 314.) 



17 




Rev. E. a. Zeek, Co. C. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 207.) 




MORDECAI GAHAGAN, Co. C. 




George Sprankle, Co. C. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 208.) 




John II. Friday, Co. C. 




AsBURY Derland, Co. C. 

Promoted Quartermaster of 125th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, 
and served as Quartermaster, Department of \\'est Virginia, until the close 
of the war in 1865. Died October 9th, 1897. 




Walter W. Greenland, 

Sergeant Company C, 125th Regiment, P. V., and Adjutant-General 
of Pennsylvania during Governor Pattison's adminis- 
tration. (Deceased.) 

(See page 208.) 



^0^" 




Henry C. Warfel, Co. I. 

Re-enlisted, and awarded Meda! of Honor by Con- 
gress for capturing Confederate Flag. 
(See page 204.) 




Jos. M. 1;k<:kkr, Co. F, 

Sergeant-Major of 125th Regiment. P. V, 




|. Randolph Simpson, 

Sergeant Company C. 125th Regiment, P. V. Seriously wounded at 

Antietam, September 17, 1862. 

(See pages 168, 178, 302.) 




J. Fletcher Conrad, 

Corporal. Company C, 125th Regiment. P. ^ 
Promoted Hospital Steward. 
(See pages 5, 198, 295, and 302.) 




Alfred C. Irvine, Co. G. 





V #«r« ^»- 






■*' 






t f^ 






w^iSl^ % '" 






.H^^^V 




^ 


^ijfrM 


r 


m 


^A > > ^^Kj 


g£. 


1 


^^^^^^A^^^^H 


i 



I'l iKIORAI. I'llOMA^ M. IjAKK, Co. C 




George R. Cuktis, Co. <; 




J. Calvin Russ, Co. G 




John Matthkws, Co. K. 




Lieut. J. F. N. Householder, Co. F, 




1ST Lieut. Franklix H. Lane, Co. ¥. 

(See pages 201 and 208.) 




Edwaki) L. Russ, Sergeant, Co. D. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 205.) 




Da\ ih K i i,n<. Co. F. 




Iames a. Mitchell, 

Private Co. F, i2Sth Regt., Pa. Vol.. and Co. 
H, 5th Pa, Cavalry. 




RoHERT COZZENS, 
Company F, 125th Regiment, P. V. 




Thomas M. Wright. Co. F. 



18 




Elijah C. JJLiN.mire, Co. C. 

Died Sept. 24, 1862, at Georgetown Hospital, D. C, from camp fever. 
On his death-bed, in the dehrium of fever, he prayed for the preservation of 
our country, and added. " () Lord, bless our enemies, and cause the evil 
they intend to be overruled for our good." 




Dr. George B. Duxmire, Co. A. 

He became practicing physician in Philadelphia, and died Oct. 21, 
1905, aged 68 years. 




John ;>. -Mi,Cak.thv, 

Company H. 125th Regiment. P. V. Killed at Antietam 
September 17, 1862. 




David R. Donnelly, Co. B. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 203.) 




Thomas S. WHrrxAKER, 

Private Co. C. 125th P. V., ist Lieut. Co. M, 
20th Cav. (Whittaker). 




lIlNRV II. CiKEC.G. 

Captain Co. II, 125th Regiment, I'. V. and Lieut. -Col. of 13th Pa. 
Cavalry. 

(See page 202, and 317.) 




1ST. Lieut. E. R. Dunnegan, Co. K. 

Complimented by Gen. Geaiy for gallantry in action. Was recom- 
mended for promotion as Captain in a new regiment. Died June 14, igof. 
(See page 37.) 




Da\iii r. llh.NUhkbuN, Corporal Co. C. 

(See page 192.) 




Geo. G. Wyland, Co. C. 

Ruptured at Harper's Ferry. 
(Deceased.) 




William S. Hoar, Co. D. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 206.) 




Dr. M. li. Brenneman, Co. C. 

Wounded at Antietam. 
(See page 206.) 




J. Oscar Moure, Co. F. 

(See page 207. ) 




Dr. F. B. Davison, 

Asst. Surgeon I25tli Regiment P. V. 




H. F. SCHOEMAKER CO. ¥. 




AU'RIiD I'ULTON, Co. r 




AM'KI.W l.l.lsT, Co. F. 
(See page 205.) 




Corp. \Vm. J. IIami'SON, Co. F. 




\Vl 1.1.1AM r. MlLl.KR, 
Cnmpany D, 125th Regiment, P. \' 




1ST Serg. Hill P. Wilson, Co. B., 

Captain of Co. I, Stevens' Regiment, at Nashville, Tenr 
(See page 208.) 




Nathan H. Gorsuch, Co. H. 




Jamks H. I)avi>, Co. H 




Levi G. Heck, Co. H. 

(See page 204.) 




Henry M. Pardonner, Co. H. 



19 




I'M KiiK Shannon, Co. 1. 



ROSTER 



OF THE 



125TH REGIMENT 

Pennsylvania Volunteers 

(INFANTRY) 



ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH 
REGIMENT, P. V. 



FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. 



Name. 



Rank. 



Jacob Higgins. 
Jacob Szink. . . 



Colonel 



Lt. Col. 



John J. Lawrence. Major 



Robert M. Johnston Adj't. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



John G. Cain. 



Adj't. 



Aug. 1 6, '62 
Aug. 14, '62 

Aug. 15, '62 

Aug. 16, '62 

Aug. 16, '62 



Remarks. 



Wilham C. Bayley. Q. M. ' Aug. 16, '62 



Asbury Derland 



Q. M. 



Lewis C. Cummings Surgeon 

John Feay , Asst. Surgn 

Frs. B. Davidson . . Asst. Surgn 

Augustus Davis . . . Asst. Surgn 

Lafayette F. Butler, Asst. Surgn 

John D. Stewart.. Chaplain 

Joseph M. Becker. Sr. Maj. 



Aug. II, '62 

Sept. 23, '62 
Aug. 16, '62 

Aug. 16, '62 

Dec. 10, '62 
Feb. II, '63 
Aug. 16, '62 

Aug. 12, '62 



Mustered out with regi- 
ment May 1 8th, 1863. 
Promoted from Capt. 
Co. D, Aug. 16, '62 — 
mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Promoted from Capt. 
Co. F, Aug. 16, '62 — 
mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Died Sept. 19 of wound 
received at Antietam, 
Md. September 17th, 
1862. 

Promoted from 2nd 
Lt. Co. E. Sept. 20, 
'62 — mustered out with 
Regiment May 18, 1863. 
Discharged April 1 5 , 
1863. For promotion 
to Brigade commission. 
Promoted from Cor- 
poral Co. C, Nov. 7, '62 
— -mustered out with 
regiment May 18, 1863. 
Mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Discharged by special 
order Oct. g, 1862. 
Discharged b}^ special 
order, November 24, 
1862. 

Mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Promoted from private 
Co. F Aug. 16, '62— 
mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863 
293 



294 



Name. 



David Feav 



Rank. 



Q. M. S. 



Henry L. Irvine. . . (^oni. Sr. 
Samuel G. Baker. . Coin. Sr. 
John F. Conrad. . . Hos. St. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Aug. 10, '62 

Aug. 13, '62 
Aug. 10, '62 
Aug. II, '62 



Remarks. 

Promoted from private 
Co. B Aug. 18, '62 — 
mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Promoted from private 
Co. G March 15, '63 — 
mustered out with regi- 
ment May 18, 1863. 
Died at Stafford C. H., 
Va. March 14, 1863. 
Promoted from Cor- 
poral Co. C Aug. 20, 
'62- — mustered out with 
regiment May 18, 1863. 



COMPANY A. 

Mustered into service Aug. 10, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 







Date of Muster 




Name. 


Rank. 


into service. 


Remarks. 


Francis M. Bell. . . 


Capt. 


Aug. 10, '62 


Killed at Chancellors- 


Jesse S. Stewart. . 


I St Lt. 




ville, Va., Mav 3rd, 
1863. 


"Wilbur F. Martin. . 


ist Lt. 




Wd. at Antietam, Md. 
Sept. 17, '62 


David G. Ganoe. . . 


2nd. Lt. 




Promoted from ist 

Sergt. May 4, '63. 

Pr. Fr. Cor. to Sgt. 


Alfred Abbott 


ist Sergt. 




Jan. 28 '63 — to ist 

Sgt. May 4. '63. 


Oliver G. Smith . . . 


Sergt. 






Chas. Merriman... 


Sergt. 






Wm, B. Meredith. 


Sergt. 






"William Funk 


Sergt. 




Pro. Fr. Corporal May 
4- '63. 


"William Miller 


Corp. 






C. F. Kirkpatrick. . 


Corp. 






Wm. H.H. Berrv.. 


Corp. 






J."W. Hendershot. . 


Corj). 






HenrvB. Duck. . . . 


Corp, 






Geo. C. Davison . . . 


Cor]). 






H. I. Boughamcr. . 


Corp. 






John W. Grazier. . . 


Corp. 




Promoted to Corporal 
May 4, '63. 



Note: — Those who, for any cause, were inustered out before the end 
of the term, are indicated by the dates given and causes named; all who 
are not so marked served out their full term and were mustered out with 
the regiment May, 1863. 



295 



Rank. 



William C. Kean . . \ Corp. 



Anion G. Edwards Corp. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 

Aug. 10, '62 



Andrew Woonier . . 

David S. Johnson . . 
Stephen V. Haslett 

Jacob Ayers 

Jos. W. Ake 

Baker, Isaac F. . . . 
Beatty, Jos. W. K.. 
Bennett, Alexander 

Beyer, Ezra C 

Bowls, Jas. B 

Bressler, Lindley H 

Beamer, Thos. W 
Crane, Andrew P 
Crocker, Henry H 

Crone, Wm.. . . 
Crowl, John. . . 
Cunningham, D. T 

Clodius, Chas 



Coy, John. 



Crissman, Austin.. 

Deahle, Henry . . . 

Dell, John 

Dunmire, Geo. B. . 
Dickson, David F. 
Eakins, David W. 

Esterline, Jno. M. . 



Corp. 

Mus. 

Mus. 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 



Private 



Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 



Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Dec. 
24, 1862. 

Died at Chambersburg, 
Pa., Oct. 9th, 1862, 
of wounds received at 
Antietam, Sept. 17, 
1862. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62 — buried 
in Nat'l. Cemetery, 
Grave No. 3669 Penna. 
Section. 



Died at Alexandria, 
Va., Dec. 17th, 1862. 
Died at StafiEord C. H., 
Va., March 18, 1863. 

Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62. 



Died of wounds receiv- 
ed at Chancellorsvilie, 
May 3, '63. 

Discharged Jan. 24, 
'63 for wounds rec'd. 
at Antietam Sept. 17th, 
1862. 

Died Sept. 20, 1862, 
of wounds rec'd. at 
Antietam Sept. 17, 
1862. 



Captured at Chancel- 
lorsvilie, Va., May 3, 
186^. 



296 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
j into service. 



Remarks. 



Funk, George. . . . 

Garman, Philip. . . 
Green, William. . . 
Hart, Jonathan. . . 
Hicks, Daniel . . . . 
Heard, Thos. W. . 

Hook, Sam'] 

Housman, Jas. . . . 

Hunter, Thos 

Herman, Moses. . . 

Huff, Chas 

Hunter, Jas. H. . . 
Henchey, Sam'l A. 
Isenberg, John W. 

Jones, Daniel 



Keatley, Calvin F. 
Keatley, John H. . 
Kinsel, John M. . . 
Kerr, Robt 



Kinsel, Erastus. . . 

Laporte, Adolph M 

Lego, Wm. F 

Merriman, Wm. F. 
Myers, Thomas. . 
Myers, John .... 
Miles, George. . . . 
M'llvane, Henry C 
M'Avoy, Michael 
M'Quillen, A. W.. 
M'Quillen, Wm. . 
M 'Carney, Geo. S 
M'Coy, John .... 
M'Gil'l, Thos. T. . 

McFarland. Jc^hn A 

Osbom, David P. . . 



Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 



Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 



Aug. I o, '62 P\^d at Antietam 
'^ Sept. 17, 1862. 



Absent in hospital at 
muster out. 

Discharged Jan. 26, 
'63 for wounds rec'd. 
at Antietam Sept. 17, 
1862. 

Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62. 

Died at Harper's Ferry 
Oct. 20, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam, 
Md., Sept. 17, '62. 
Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Dec. 
10, 1862. 



Died Apr. 7, '63 of 
wounds rec'd. at Antie- 
tam, Sept, 17, '62. 



Died at Stafford C. 
Feb. 8, '63. 



H 



297 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Orr, Geo. W 


Private 


Aug. 10, '62 




Robinson, Jas 


Private 






Rosberry, Jas 


Private 






Rosberry, John T. . 


Private 






Sharrer, Geo. W. . . 


Private 






Sloan, John 


Private 






Smith, Thos 


Private 






Sturtsman, Henry. 


Private 






Stevens, David M.. 


Private 






Shaw, Daniel 


Private 




Died Sept. 28, 1882, of 
wounds rec. at Antie- 


Templeton, John R. 


Private 




tam, Sept. 17, 1862. 


Thomas, Geo. W. . . 


Private 






Thomas, Jerry B . . . 


Private 




Discharged on Sur- 


Vaughn, Henry. . . . 


Private 




geon's Certificate Dec. 

10, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 


Vaughn, George . . 


Private 




Sept. 17, '62- — dis- 
charged on Surgeon's 
certificate April i, 1863 . 
Discharged on Sur- 


Vanscoyoc, Abr'm. 


Private 




geon's CertificateMarch 
15, 1863. 


Watson, Jerry. . . . 


Private 






Wilson, Jos. P 


Private 




Absent, sick, at muster 
out. 


Wolf, Isaac P 


Private 






Wesley, Chas 


Private 




Died at Smoketown, 


Wolf, Theawalt . . . 


Private 




Md. Jan. 25, '63 of 
wounds rec'd. at An- 
tietam, Sept. 17, 1862. 



COMPANY B. 

Mustered into service Aug. 10, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863 

(Exceptions indicated. ) 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Ulysses L. Huyett. 
Joseph R. Higgins. 
G. SchoUenberger . . 
Hill P. Wilson 

Jas. Houck 

James SchoUar .... 


Capt. 

ist. Lt. 

2nd. Lt. 

ist. Sergt. 

Sergt. 
Sergt. 


Aug. II, '62 
Aug. II, '62 
Aug. II, '62 

Aug II, '62 


Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville. May 3, '63. 



298 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Ephraim Gerst .... 


Sergt. 




Jas. D. AUender. . . 


Sergt. 




Sam'l. G. Baker. . . . 


Sergt. 




Joseph Sias 


Corp. 




James Geiser 


Corp. 


Aug. II, '62 


Robert Feay 

Robert McFalls 

Jas. C. Carey 

F. M. McKienan. . . 


Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 


Aug. II, '62 


Daniel P. Irvine. . . 


Corp. 




Elijah Estep 


Corp. 




John D. Patterson. 


Corp. 




J. A. B. M'Kamey. 
Galvin C. Hewitt. . 
Amhizer, Daniel . . . 


Mus. 

Mus. 

Private 


(Aug. 11) 
(Aug. 11) 


Aurandt, Jacob F. . 


Private 




Blake. William B.. 


Private 




Brantner, James S. 


Private 




Brunnell, Wm 


Private 




Brunnell. Theo. N.. 
Brumbaugh, J. C. . . 
Butts, Wm. G 


Private 
Private 
Private 




Brantner, Jno. H.. 


Private 




Carles, Henry D. . . 
Cooper, Jas. M 


Private 
Private 




Cooper, Theodf)re N 


Private 




Daugherty, Vic. V. 
De Haven, Wesley. 


Private 
Private 


(Aug. 12) 


Donnelly, David R. 


Private 




Eicholtz, Alfred. . . 


Private 




ICuing, Levi M 


Private 




Fouse. Wm. D 


Private 


1 



Remarks. 



Promoted from Cor- 
poral Oct. ist, '62. 
Died at Stafford C. H. 
Mar. 19, '63. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Sept. 21. 

Promoted to Corporal 
Feb. 4. 

Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Jan. 
26, 1863. 



Killed at Chancellors- 
ville May 3, 1863. 
Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville May 3, '63. 

Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville. May 3, '63. 



Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Dec. 
Q, 1862. 



Died at Fairfax Sta. 
Jan. 3, 1863. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1863. 

Died at Hagerstown, 
Md., Sept. 21, '62. of 
wounds received at An- 
tietam, Sept. 17. 



299 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Feav, David. 



Garner, Jos. C. 

Geiser, Tillman 
Heller, Edw. W 
Houck, Geo. A 
Huyett, Miles C 
Lang, Jos. H. . 
Lang, William 
Lower, Henry G. 

Love, John D. . . . 

Lucas, John H. . . 
Lucas, Abraham 

Lucas, Gabriel . . 



Metz, Thos. G. 
Metz, Thornton B 

Mock, John E. 
M'Coy, Wm. . . 
M'Gonegal, Geo. W 
M'Manamy, John. 
M'Manamy, Wilson 
M'Michaels, John 
Nicodemus, Jno. H 

Powell, Milton P. . 

Phillips, Ralph . . . 
Reiger, August . . . 

Rhodes, George H 

Rhodes, Wm. H.. 

Richards, John . . . 

Riley, William N. . 
Shaffer, Sam'l. B. . 
Shinefelt, John C. . 
Sloneker, Lemu'l. . 
Stuart, Asbury H. 
Stuart, Madison W 
Sparr, Samuel . 



Simms, Andrew W. 



Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 



Au£ 



-62 P™- to Q. M. Sergt. 
' Aug. i8, 1862. 

Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville May 2, '63. 



Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville May 3, '63. 



Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Dec. 
9, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Wd. and mis. in action 
at Antietam Sept . 1 7 , ' 6 2 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1863. 
Deserted Aug. 12, 1862. 

Captured at Chancel- 
lorsville May 3, 1863. 

Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville, May 3, '63. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 and dis- 
charged on Surgeon's 
Certificate Dec. 24, '62. 



300 



Name. 



Straithoof, Jacob. 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Teats, John A. 



Withers, Henry. 

Walters, Jos 

Westbrook, Wm. 

Winters, George. 

Whitehead, John 
Wolford, Edw. . . 



Wolfkill, Benj. F. 
Yerger, Geo. W . . 



Private Aug. lo, '62 



Straithoof, Johnson I Private 



Private 



Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 



Tresse, 


Wm 


Private 


Tresse, 


Harry 


Private 


Trout, 


Alexander. . 


Private 


Tresse, 


David 


Private 



Remarks. 

Died Dec. 30, 1862, at 
Fort Schuyler. New- 
York. Buried in Cy- 
press Hill Cemetery, 
L. I., grave $8t,. 
Died Feb. 15, 1863, at 
Washington, buried in 
Mil. Asvlum Cemeter}-, 
D. C. 



Died at Marjdand 
Heights, Oct. 26, '62. 
Died at Frederick, Md. 
I Nov. 30, 1862, of 
' wounds received at An- 
tietam Sep. 17, 1862. 
Buried in Antietam 
Nat. Cemetery, grave 
4043, Penna. Section. 



Wounded at Chancel- 
lorsville, May 3, '63. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



COMPANY C. 

Mustered into service Aug. ir, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions indicated.) 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Wm. W. Wallace.. 


Capt. 


Aug. 16, '62 






Wm. B. Ziegler 


ist. Lt. 


(Aug. 16) 


Resigned Feb. 2: 


,1863. 


L. Frank Watson. . 


ist. Lt. 




Promoted fr. 
Feb. 7. 1863. 


Sergt. 


Wm. F. McPherran 


2nd. Lt. 


(Aug. 16) 


Died Feb. 6, 


1863. 


Theodore L. Flood. 


2nd. Lt. 




Promoted Fr. 
Sergt. Feb. 7, i 


ist. 
863. 


John D. Isett 


ist. Sergt. 




Promoted from 
Feb. 7, 1863. 


Sergt . 


W. W. Greenland. . 


Sergt. 


(Aug. 14) 







301 



J. R. M'Murtrie. . . 
Chas. E. Campbell. 
Henry A. Hoffman . 

John R. Simpson. . 
George A. Simpson. 



Thomas J . Gregg . . 

Albert C. Snyder. . 
John F. Conrad. . . 



Rank. 

Sergt. 
Sergt. 
Sergt. 

Sergt. 
Sergt. 



Corp. 



Corp. 



Corp. 



Brenneman, M. B 



Brenneman, G. W. 



Private 



Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



(Aug. 13) 



Thomas C. Fisher. . 


Corp. 


Z. G. Cresswell 


Corp. 


Miles Zentmyer . . . 


Corp. 


James E. Wilson. . 


Corp. 


David P.Henderson 


Corp. 


Robert C. Morrow. 


Corp. 


John R. Isenberg. . 


Corp. 


Asbury Derland ... 


Corp. 



(Aug. 13) 



(Aug. 13) 



Benj. F. Wilhams. . 


Corp. 






Geo. W. Friedley. . 


Mus. 


(Aug. 


14) 


Africa, Geo. H 


Private 


(Aug. 


13) 


Benner, Thomas M. 


Private 






Baker, Wm 


Private 






Brenneman, J. C. . . 


Private 






Brenneman, M. L. . 


Private 







Promoted from Cor- 
poral Sept. 18, '62. 
Promoted from Cor- 
poral Feb. 7, 1863. 
Promoted from Cor- 
poral Feb. 26, '63. 
Discharged April 3, 
1863, for wounds re- 
ceived at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862, buried 
in National Cemetery, 
grave No. 3953, Penna. 
Section.. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Nov. 7, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Oct. 30, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Feb. 7. 1863. 

Promoted to Quarter- 
master Nov. 7, '62. 
Pr. to 2nd. Lt. Co. F. 
70th reg. P. V. Nov. 20, 
1862. 

Transferred to U. S. 
telegraph Corps Jan . 
3. 1863. 

Promoted to Hospital 
Steward Aug. 20, '62. 
Died Nov. 13, 1862, of 
wds. rec'd. at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Died at Rockville, Md. 
Oct. 26, 1862. 



Discharged April 6th, 

'63 for wounds received 

at Antietam Sept. 17, 

'62. 

Died Nov. 10, 1862. 



302 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Rrmarks. 



Canan, Henry .... 


Private 






Carmon, John 


Private 






Carmon, Henry C. . 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 


Discharged on Sur- 


Conrad, Benson W. 


Private 




geon's Certificate Aug. 
29, 1S62. 


Decker, Harry P. . 


Private 






Denny, Alexander. 


Private 






Dewalt, John A. . . . 


Private 




Died Oct. 11, 1862, of 


Decker, Nicholas.. 


Private 




wounds rec'd. at Antie- 
tam, Md. 


Dunmire, Elijah C. 


Private 




Died at Georgetown, 
D. C, Sept. 24, 1862. 


Ehman, George . . . 


Private 






Enyeart, Thomas L. 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 




Fockler, J. Lee. . . . 


Private 






Funk, James 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 




Friday, John H.. . . 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 




Green, James M.. . . 


Private 






Graber, Adam 


Private 






Garland, David W. 


Private 






Gahagan, Mordicai. 


Private 






Goodman, Jos 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 




Haslett, Jas 


Private 






Heckadorne, H. B. . 


Private 






Hearn, Jacob 


Private 






Hart, Frederick. . . 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 




Hoffman, John. . . . 


Private 




Discharged Nov. 15, 


Hawn, Henry 


Private 




1S62, for wounds rec'd. 

at Antietam, Sept. 17, 

1862. 

Discharged on Sur- 


Harvey, Parker C. 


Private 




geon's Certificate Dec. 
13, 1862. 


Hoflfman, Uriah D. 


Private 


(Aug. 13) 


Killed at Antietam, 
Md., Sept. 17, '62. 


Hood, Henry 


Private 




Died Nov. 10, 1862. 


Isenberg, Nich 


Private 






Isenberg, Sam'l. V. 


Private 






Isenberg, Geo. W. . 


Private 




Died at Maryland 
Hgts. Md., Oct. 25, '62. 


Knode, Joshua R.. 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam 
Sept 17. '62. 


Kopclin, AVin. O. . . 


Private 






Knode, Albert A. . . 


Private 




Died at Maryland Hts., 
Oct. 25, '62. 



303 



Name. 


Rank. 


Kuhn, David 


Private 


Lytle, Milton S 


Private 


Lincoln, J. George. 


Private 


Leffard, JohnR.. .. 


Private 


Leffard, Enoch I. . . 


Private 


Low, John A 


Private 


Myers, EH H 


Private 


M'Coy, Wm. R 


Private 


M'Pherran, Alfred. 


Private 


M'Divett, C. James 


Private 


M'Coy, Johns 


Private 


Parker, David H.. . 


Private 


Patton, Jos 


Private 


Peterson, Wm. H.. 


Private 


Robb, Porter A 


Private 


Robb, Wm. W 


Private 


Raugh, Sellers .... 


Private 


Reed, Chas. H 


Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Robb, J. Easton. 



Private 



(Aug. 13) 



(Aug. 13) 



Reed, Samuel . . . 


Private 






Simpson, Alex. C. 


Private 






Snyder, David C. 


Private 






Snyder, John P. . 


. . 1 Private 






Sprankle, Jeremiah ' Private 






Sprankle, George 


Private 






Spyker, Daniel. . 


. . 1 Private 






Stewart, John G. . 


Private 






Swope, Jas. C. M. 


Private 


(Aug. 


13) 


Stewart, Jas. A.. . 


Private 






White, David . . . 


. . 1 Private 






White, John 


Private 


(Aug. 


15) 


Whittaker, Thos. 


S. , Private 






Wyland, Geo. . . . 


Private 


(Aug. 


13) 


Wilhams, John L 


[.. Private 


(Aug. 


13) 


Zeek, EHas A. . . . 


Private 







Remaiks. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam,, 
Sept. 17, '62. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62. 
Discharged Mar. 22, 
'62 for wounds rec'd. 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 
Died at Fairfax Sta., 
Jan. 17, 1863. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Discharged Nov . 2 1 , ' 6 2 ,. 
for wounds rec'd. at 
Antietam Sept. 17, 
1862. 



304 



COMPANY D. 

Mustered into service Aug. 13th, 1S62. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions Indicated.) 



Name. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Jacob Szink. 



Peter S. Treese. 



Capt. 



Christ R. Hostetter Capt. 



Alex W. Marshall. . Capt. 



Thos. E. Campbell. ist. Lt. 



(Aug. 14) 



(Aug. 14) 



(Aug. 14) 



2nd. Lt. 



(.\ug. 14) 



G. W. Hawksworth 2nd. Lt. 

James H. Attick. . . ist. Sgt. 

Edwin Hammond. Sergt. 

Isaac E. Brown. . . . Sergt. 

William Burley. . . . Sergt. 

James C. Treese. . . Sergt. 

Edward L. Russ. . . Sergt. 

David A. Burtnett. Corp. 

George A. Burtram Corp. 

Mordecai.McMahon Corp. 

Alfred Bomgardncr Corp. 

James G. Kerr Corp. 



Promoted to Lt. Ccl. 

Aug. 16, 1862, 

Pro. fr. ist. Lt. Aug. 

16, 1862 — disch. Mar. 

17, 1863, for n-ounds 
rec'd. at Antietam, 
Sept. 17. '62. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62. Promoted 
from ist. Lt. March 
17, '63. 

Pr. fr. ist. Sgt. to 2nd. 
Lt. Mar. 17, '63, and 
to ist. Lt. Apr. 19, 
1863. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 — -Com. 
ist. Lt. Mar. 17. '63. 
Discharged on Sur- 
geon's Certificate Apr. 
17, '63. 

Pr. fr. Sergt. to ist 
Sergt. Mar. 17, '63 and 
to 2nd. Lt. Apr. 19, '63. 
Promoted from Sergt. 
April 19, 1863. 

Promoted from Corpo- 
ral April 19, '63. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 — pr. from 
Corporal March 19, '63. 
Pro. fr. Priv. to Corp. to 
Sgt. Apr. 19. 
Discharged Nov. 13, 
'62, for wounds rec'd. at 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Aug. 25, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Nov. 16, 1862. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62. Pro- 
moted to Corporal Jan. 
21, 1862. 



305 



Name. 



Rank. 



William Springer. . 

Morris Davis 

John M. Dougherty 
Robert Try 

John A. Kelley .... 

W. A. Brumbaugh. 
Augustus Boyden. . 

Aiken, Stephen. . . . 

Boyer, Albert 

Burley, Levi 

Blake, Samuel 



Brumbaugh, Jacob 
Blake, Wilbur E. . . 

Bowen, Francis. . . . 

Baker, John 

Brubaker, Geo 



Burley, Emanuel. . 

Brown, John A. . . . 

Cochran, Robt 

Coniey, Jas. W. . . . 

Dasher, John 

Davis, Able 

Davis, John E 



Davis, Leonard. . . . 

Evans, Andrew .... 
Finney, Andrew W. 

Green, Samuel 

Glass, John R 

Gearhart, Fred W.. 
Howell, John C. . . . 
Higgins, John 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 

Mus. 
Mus. 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 



Promoted to Corporal 
Jan. 14, 1863. 
Promoted to Corporal 
April 29, 1863. 
Promoted to Corporal 
April 29, 1863. 
Dischgd. on Surg. Cer- 
tificate Nov. 13, '62. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Discharged April 13, 
'63, for wounds rec'd. 
at Antietam Sept. 17, 
1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



I Wounded at Antietam, 

Sept. 17, 1862. 
1 Killed at Antietam, 

Sept. 17. 1862. 

Dischgd. on Surg. Cer. 
I March 5th, '63. 

Killed at Antietam, 
I Sept. 17, 1862. 

Killed at Antietam, 
IMd., Sept. 17, '62. 

Died at Harper's Ferry 
Jan. 21, '63. 

Dischgd. on Surg. Cer. 
JMar. 23, 1863. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Died at Acquia Creek, 
Va., April 21, 1863. 

Died Nov. 10, 1862. 



20 



306 



Name. 


T. , 1 Date of Muster ■d^™,,!,^ 
Rank. 1 into service. Remarks. 


i 






Wounded at Antietam 


Haney, Patrick Sr. . 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862. 


Haney, Patrick Jr. . 


Private 




Discharged Jan. 25, 
'63, for wounds rec'd. 
at Antietam Sept. 17, 


Hoar, Wm. S 


Private 










1862. 








Died at Fairfax Sta., 


Homan, Thomas. . . 


Private 




Jan. 15, 1863. 


Irvin, Geo. M 


Private 






Kissell, John G 


Private 






Keagey. John 


Private 






Keresey, John 


Private 






Lingenfelter, Josiah 


Private 






Laub, Wm. A. B... 


Private 






Long, Samuel A.. . . 


Private 






Madison, John 


Private 






Myers, Wilham H.. 


Private 






Minehart, Lewis. . . 


Private 






Miller, Andrew. . . . 


Private 






Myers, Andrew .... 


Private 






Myers, Jos 


Private 






Marshall, AVin'd. S. 


Private 






Miller, Wm. T 


Private 




Killed at Antietam, 


Markley, Isaac .... 


Private 




Sept 17, 1862. 


Mahon. John 


Private 




Not on muster out roll. 


M'Closkey.DavidA 


Private 






M'Closkey, Geo. A. 


Private 




Killed at Antietam, 


M'Laughhn, Jos. S. 


Private 




Md., Sept. 17, 1862. 
Killed at Chancellors- 


Osswalt, David W.. 


Private 




ville, May 3, 1863. 


Owens, Matthew. . . 


Private 






Painter, Jacob 


Private 






Patton, Edward. . . 


Private 






Parsons, Chas. A. . . 


Private 






Richmond, S. S. . . . 


Private 






Rhinehart, Rice. . . 


Private 






Richmond, Albert E 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62. Dis- 


Robertson, Jos 


Private 




charged on Sur. Cer, 
Apr. 23, 1863. 
Wounded at Antietam 






Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 


Rollin, John 


Private 


charged on Sur. Cer. 
Feb .^3. 1863. 



307 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster d»™„,i,o 
into service. Remarks. 


Rose, John 


Private 


Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Shaffer, Jos 


Private 






Schlag, Adolph .... 


Private 






Sharier, PhiUp 


Private 






Steel, Samuel 


Private 






Stackhouse. Henry 


Private 




Wounded and missing 


Stewart, Andrew. . 


Private 




in action at Chancel- 
lorsville, May 3, 1863. 


Szink, Henrv C. . . . 


Private 




Stoner, Chas. A. . . . 


Private 


Died Dec. 13, 1862. 


Urich, John 

Walton, John 


Private 
Private 




Wounded " at Antie- 
tam Sept. 17, 1862. 


Woods, Thomas. . . 


Private 






West, WiUiam 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam, 


Williamson, S.H... 


Private 




Md. Sept. 17, '62. Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. 28, '63. 



COMPANY E. 

Mustered into service Aug. 13, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions Indicated.) 



William McGraw . . 
Samuel A. Kephart 

John G. Cain 

John H. Robertson 
John Bryan 

William Nosker. . . 

George W. Perkins 
Williams Rounds. 

James Gardner . . . 



Peter Stroup 

James Matthews. . 



Rank. 



Capt. 

ist. Lt. 

2nd. Lt. 
2nd. Lt. 
ist. Sgt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Corp. 
Corp. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



(Aug. 16) 

(Aug. 16) 

(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 15) 
(Aug. 15) 



Remarks. 



(Aug 15) 



Promoted to Adjutant 
Sept. 20, 1862. 
Promoted from ist. 
Sergeant Sept. 20, '62. 
Promoted from Sergt. 
Sept. 20, 1862. 
Captured at Chancel- 
lorsville. May 3, 1863. 



Promoted from Corpo- 
ral Sept. 20, '62. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862, and at 
Chancellorsville, May 3, 
1863. 



308 



Name. Rank. 

William McClure... ] Corp. 

Charles Butler \ Corp. 

Adam Rough Corp. 

George S. Beers.... Corp. 

Daniel Deihl Corp. 

William McGinnes. Corp. 

Geo. Hoopengarner Corp. 

John ScuUin Mus. 

Charles H. Suder. . Mus. 

Benton, Emanuel M Private 

Buck, AVilliam Private 

Bottorf , David .... Private 

Burtnet, John Private 

Brindle, Geo. W. . . Private 

Butler, David Private 

Benton, John Private 

Beigle, John A Private 

Benton, Jesse L.. . . Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Baker, Franklin S. 



Private 



Burge, Adam Private 

Carnell, David Private 

Dunlap, Essington . Private 

Dasher, James Private 

Dell, Peter Private 

Dunn, Patrick Private 

Dunlap, John Private 

Dively, Gabriel. . . . Private 

Dodson, Andrew. . . Private 

Earlenbaugh, A. . . . Private 

Gardner, Robt Private 



(Aug. 1 5) 



(Aug. 1 5) 



(Aug. is) 



(Aug. 15) 



(Aug. 15) 
(Aug. 1 5) 



Remarks. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Sept. 26, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Sept. 16, 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Feb. 26, 1863. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. 25, 1863. 
Deserted Sept. 16, '62. 



Absent, sick at muster 
out. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62 — captured 
at Chancellorsville, 
May 3, 1863. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — dis- 
charged on Sur. Cer. 
Jan. 30, 1863. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Died Sept. 30, 1862, of 
wounds received at An- 
tietam Sept. 17, 1862 — 
Bur. in Mihtary Asy- 
lum Cemetery, D. C. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



309 



Name. 



Ginter, John 

Gesler, Lewis H.. . . 

Gallagher, John 

Harklerode, A. H.. 

Harklerode, David . 



Lier, John 

Millward, Luke. 
Miller, Stanley. . 



Mauk, Geo. W. 



Rank . 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



M'Coy, Dennis 

Noll, Henry S 

Osburn, Wm. R j 

Phagans, James ... 
Pressell, Samuel. . . 

Rhodes, John 

Roach, Thomas 

Stanley, Joseph B.. 

Swisher, Daniel 

Strayer, John 

Summers, Geo 

Summers, Wm 

Snyder, George Jr. . 
Stiffler, Sylvanus L. 



Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 



Hanly, David 


Private 


Heverly, Wm. P. . . 


Private 


Heverly, WiUiam. . , 


Private 


Hoover, Geo. W.. . . ' 


Private 


Hale, Henry 


Private 


Kephart, Jacob 


Private 


Kough, John S 


Private 


Long, Daniel 


Private 


Leighty, George. . . 


Private 


Langham, Solomon 


Private 


Leedom, Levi 


Private 


Lambright, J 


Private 



(Aug. 20) 



(Aug. 15) 



Remarks. 



Discharged on 
Cer. April 22, 



Surg. 
'63- 



Wounded at Antietam, 
! Sept. 17, 1862. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Dec. 10, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Jan. 30, '63. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62 — bur. in 
Nat'l Cemetery, grave 
No. 3634, Penna Sec- 
tion. 



Died at Washington 
Jan. 23, '63 — bur. in 
Mihtary Asykim Ceme- 
tery, D. C. 



Deserted Aug. 16, '62. 
Absent at muster out. 



310 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Smith, David 


Private 






Shoflf, David 


Private 






Snyder, Geo. Sr. . . . 


Private 




Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. April 2, 1863. 


Troxell, Abraham. . 


Private 




Died at Harper's Ferry 
Nov. 9, '62 — bur. in 
Nat'l. Cam. Winchester 
lot 25. 


Wright, Thomas. . . 


Private 






Weyandt, Samuel. . 


Private 






Wheeler, Wilham. . 


Private 






Wagoner, John .... 


Private 


(Aug. 15) 




Wilt, Henry H 


Private 







COMPANY F. 

Mustered into service Aug. 12, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions Indicated.) 



John J. Lawrence. . 

Wm. H. Simpson. . 
William C.Wagoner 

Franklin H. Lane. . 



Albert B. Flood. . . 

George A. Black. . 
Jas. B. Geissinger. 
Valentine Brown . 

David Hazard. . . . 



John G. Corbin. . . 

Thomas Blake 

Wm. J. Hampton, 
Joseph B. Farrer. 
Wm. Homan 



Rank. 



Capt. 

Capt. 
ist. Lt. 

1st. Lt. 



J.F.N. Householder 2nd. Lt. 



ist. Sgt. 

Sergt. 
Sergt . 
Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



(Aug. 1 5) 



Remarks. 



Promoted to Major 
Aug. 16, 1862. 
Pr. fr. ist. Lt. Aug. 16, 
'62 — wd. at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Dischd. Feb. 9, '63, 
for wounds rec'd. at 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 
Pr. fr. ist. Sergt. to 
2nd. Lt. Aug. 16, '62 — 
to ist. Lt. Feb. 9, 1863. 
Pr. from Sergt. to ist. 
Sergt. Aug 16, '62 — 
— to 2nd. Lt. Feb. g, 
1863. 

Pr. from Sergt. Feb. 
9. 1863. 



Promoted from private 
Feb. 9, 1863. 



311 



Name. 



Rank. 



Hampton C.Watson ' Corp. 

Alrich, Paul Corp. 

John H. Boring.... i Corp. 

John L. WilHams.. ' Mus. 

Barton, Thomas. . . Private 

Boyes, George Private 

Brown, Jacob Private 

Brown, Wm.L Private 

Bryan, Charles.... Private 

Bryant, James Private 

Bupp, Solomon.... Private 

Becker, Joseph M. . Private 

Cannon, John Private 

Carothers, Charles. Private 

Corbin, Charles.... Private 

Cozzens, Robert... Private 

Cypher, Thomas . . . Private 

Cunningham, Benj. Private 

Bering, Valentine. . Private 

Fulton, Alfred 1 Private 

Friedley, Wm Private 

Geist, Andrew Private 

Graham, WiUiam. . ^ Private 

Hall, James } Private 

Hamer, Moses Private 

Harvey, Frank.... I Private 
Haugh, Wm. H.... Private 

HefEner, John, 2nd. | Private 
Hudson, WiUiam C. ' Private 

Hazard, John Private 

Hayes, Thos. L. . . . Private 
HefEner, John, ist.. Private 
Isenberg, Samuel.. , Private 



Isenberg, David. 



Kelly, Wm. T. 
Kyler, David. . 
Lane, William. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remaiks. 



Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Promoted to Sergt. 
Major Aug. 16, '62. 



Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Died Nov. 9, 1862. 



Captured at Chancel- 
lorsville May 3, 1863. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 27, '63. 
Died at Washington, 
D. C, March 5th, '63. 

Died at Fairfax Sta. 
Jan. 4, '63 — bur. in 
Harmony Btirial 
Grounds, D. C. 



312 



Namb. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Lewis, David D. . . . 


Private 




Lewis, John D 


Private 




Mitchell, Jas. A. . . . 

Moore, James 

Moore, John O 

Moore, Joseph 

Morgan, Jacob 


Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 




Myers, William. . . . 


Private 




M'Clure, Andrew A. 


Private 





Remarks. 



M'Cracken, Jos.... Private 

Nefif, William Private 

Owens, Richards. . . Private 

Price, Joshua E.. . . Private 

Protzman, Martin L Private 

Reed, William E. . . Private 

Richards, Thos. J.. Private 

Riland, Alfred A. . . Private 

Stall, Thomas Private 

Snyder, J. Howard. Private 

Saxton, Henry C. . . Private 

Shearer, Calvin B.. Private 

Shoemaker, H. F... Private 

Shriner, John Private 

Shriner, Thomas . . . Private 

States, WiUiam. .. . Private 

Strickler, Wm. R.. . Private 

SyHng, Lewis Private 

Switzer, Elias H . . . Private 

Swoope, David .... Private 

Shorthill, David R. Private 



Snyder, Oliver W. . 

Trout, Brinkley. . . . 
Tyhurst, Alfred. . . . 



Private 

Private 
Private 



Captured at Chancel- 
lors ville, May 3, 1863. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Mar. 23, 1S63. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Mar. 26, 1863. 
Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1S62 — bur. 
Nat. Cem., No. 3608, 
Penna Section, 

Captured at Chancel- 
lorsville. May 3, 1863. 



j Wounded at Antietam 
I Sept. 17, 1S62. 



Discharged Jan. 5, '63, 
for wounds rec'd at 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 3, 1863. 
Discharged March 8, 
'63, for wounds rec'd 
at Antietam, Sept. 17, 
1862. 

Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. April i, 1863. 



313 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Wagoner, Geo. J.. . 


Private 


(Aug. 14) 




Watkins, Nathaniel 


Private 






Witter, Josiah 


Private 






Wright, Thomas. . . 
West, Allen 


Private 
Private 




Transferred to 14th. 
Regt. Ind. Vols. Oct. 
ist, 1862. 


Walker, William C. 


1 Private 




Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Walheater, John H. 


Private 




Died at Fairfax Sta. 
Dec. 30th, 1862. 


Walker, Robt. D. . . 


Private 




Died at Washington, 
D. C, May ist, '63. 


Young, John B 

Young, Thomas . . . 


Private 

Private 







COMPANY G. 

Mustered into Service Aug. 13, 1862. Mustered out May 18. 1863. 

(Exceptions indicated.) 



Rank. 



John M'Keage 

Samuel A. Andrews 
Thos. M'Camant. . . 

Augustus Baton . . . 

John Swires 

George H. Vaughn. 
John Hellwig 

Jajnes Rodgers. . . . 

David E. M'Cahan. 

James R. Robison. 

Moses Garland 

Joseph Carroll 

Thomas M. Barr. . . 

Horace Kemp, 

Alexander Boggs . . 

John G. Christian. . 

Reese Williams . . . . 



Capt. 
ist. Lt. 
2nd. Lt. 

ist. Sergt. 

Sergt. 
Sergt. 
Sergt. 

Sergt. 



Sergt. 

Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Promoted from Sergt. 
Jan. I, 1863. 



Promoted from Corpo- 
ral Mar. I, 1863. 
Discharged Feb. 13, 
1863, for woimds rec'd 
at Antietam Sept. 17, 
1862. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Feb. 17, 1863. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17. 1862. 
Promoted to Corporal 
Mar. 26, 1863. 



314 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 








Killed at Antietam 


James H. Gibboney 


Corp. 




Sept. 17, 1862 — bur. in 
Nat. Cam., No. 3664, 
Penna. Section. 


John Miller 


Mus. 






Thomas Lloyd 


Mus. 






Andrews, David. . . 


Private 






Barr, Theodore. . . . 


Private 




Captured at Chancel- 
lorsville. May 3, 1863. 


Burns, Thomas. . . . 


Private 






Black, David M 


Private 






Bollinger, Henry L. 


Private 






Buterbaugh, Sam'l. 


Private 




Discharged Dec. 8, '62, 


Beamer, Albert. . . . 


Private 




for wounds rec'd at 
Antietam, Sept. 17, 
1862. 


Cameron, Wm. S.. . 


Private 






Canan, William H.. 


Private 






Closson, Josiah S. . . 


Private 






Curtis, George R. . . 


Private 






Christy, Livingston 


Private 






Clarke, Robert. . . . 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam 


Gharles, Thomas. . . 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862. Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Dec. 24, 1862. 


David, John 


Private 






Dunn, James 


Private 






Dannals, Chas. R.. . 


Private 






Dasher, Samuel D. . 


Private 






Fulton, Samuel A. . 


Private 






■Gibboney, Benj. F. 


Private 






Holler, James M. . . 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Hewit, Henry 


Private 






Hicks, Philemon N. 


Private 






Hewit, William. . . . 


Private 






Hammers, James J. 


Private 






Hall, John.. 


Private 




Deserted Aug. 17, 1862. 


Irvine, Alfred C. . . . 


Private 






Isett, Aaron B 


Private 






Irvine, Henry L.. . . 


Private 




Promoted to Com. Sgt. 
Mar. 15, 1863. 


Jones, Thaddeus. . . 


Private 






Johnston, Franklin 


Private 






Johnston, James R. 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



315 



Name. 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Johnson, Dav. R. P. Private 



London, George W. 
London, James G.. 
Leet, Callohan, M.. 
Lovett, John 



Long, James. 



Miller, Thomas . . 
Maus, John H.. . . 
Metzler, Jos. F.. . 
Martin, William. 
Martin, Henry. . . 



Morrow, Jas 

M'Rea, William J.. 
M'Kee, Thomas G. . 
M'Cord, Henry. . . . 
M'Ginnis, James. . . 
M'Clelland, Thos. . . 
M'Clelland, Hugh T 
M'Clelland, Wm.H. 

M'Clelland, Adol.. . 
Ounkest, Martin. . . 
Ounkest, Daniel. . . 

Price, Joseph C. . . . 
PhiUips, Benj. F. . . 
Philhps, David Jr. . 

Prounkard, J. E.. . . 



Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

_ Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 



Remarks. 

Dischgd. Dec. 8, 1862 
for womids received at 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 3, 1863. 
Died at Frederick, Md. 
Feb. 5, '63 — bur. in Mt. 
Olivet Cemetery. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Piper, Jos. H 


Private 




Robison, Albert. . . 
Ruggles, Benj. F. . . 


Private 
Private 




Reed, Jos. H 


Private 




Reffner, Jos 

Russ, Calvin 


Private 
Private 




Riddle, James D.. . 


Private 





Dischgd. on Surg. Cer. 
Oct. II, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
! Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 

;Feb. II, 1863. 

; Died at Harper's Ferry 
Oct. 28, 1862, buried 

; in Nat. Cem. Win- 

i Chester, lot 25. 



Wounded at Antietam 
ISept. 17, 1862. 



Died Sept. 26, '62, of 
wounds rec'd at An- 
tietam Sept. 17, 1862. 



316 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service 


Remarks. 


Snyder, Wm. H 


Private 






Stuff, Valentine 


Private 






Scott, James P 


Private 






Sellers, David M.. . 


Private 






Stmders, John 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Sharar H. Bascom. 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Tippery, Mayberry 


Private 






Taylor, Henry C. . . 


Private 






Taylor, Samuel .... 


Private 




Absent in Hospital at 
muster out. 


Thompson, R. D. . . 


Private 






Williams. David P. 


Private 







COMPANY H. 

Mustered into service Aug. 14, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions indicated.) 



Name. 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service 



Remarks. 



Henry H. Gregg. . 

John Flenner 

Samuel F. Stewart 

James T. Foster. 

George F. Painter 
Jesse E. March. . 
Abner P. Lane. . . 



Wm. L. DeGrant 
Wm. H. Flenner. 

Jolin W. Lytle. . . 



Robert Wilson . . . 
William M. Davis. 

Henry C. Logan. . 
Lewis Gahagan. . . 
David Shaffer 



Capt. 
ist. Lt. 
2nd. Lt. 

2nd. Lt. 

ist. Sgt. 
Sergt. 
Sergt. 

Sergt. 
Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 



(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 16) 



Resigned Jan. 24, 1863. 
Promoted from Sergt. 
Feb. 24, 1863. 

Promoted from Sergt. 
March i, 1863. 

Promoted from Corpo- 
ral March i, 1863. 
Promoted from Corpo- 
ral Mar. I, 1863. 

Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. 21, 1863. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Sept. 21, 1862. 

Promoted to Corporal 
October 21, '62. 

Promoted to Corporal 
Nov. 21, 1862. 



317 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Remarks. 


Joseph Cox 


Corp. 




Promoted to Corporal 
Mar. I, 1862. 


Allison H. CruiTL. . . 


Corp. 




Promoted to Corporal 
Mar. 1st, 1863. 


James A. Couch. . . . 


Corp. 




Promoted to Corporal 
Mar. I, 1863. 


Samuel Hetrick. . . . 


Corp. 




Dischgd. on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. 14, 1863. 

Killed at Antietam 


Peter Carton 

Sylvanus W. Gettys 


Corp. 
Mus. 




Sept. 17, '62 — buried 
in Nat. Cem., grave 
No. 3746 Penna. Sec. 


Taylor, Myton 


Mus. 






Ayers, Wesley C. . . . 


Private 






Aurand, John M.. . . 


Private 






Ayres, Jeremiah L. 


Private 




Discharged on Surg . 
Cer. Feb. 8, 1863. 


Buchanan, Robt. J. 


Private 






Bell, Alexander. . . . 


Private 






Bell, Anderson. . . . 


Private 






Bell, Jas. A 


Private 






Bailey, Samuel C. . . 


Private 




Absent sick at muster 

out. 

Wounded at Antietam 


Boblitz, Eugene. . . 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Dec. 9, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 


Brindle, Cyrus 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Nov. 21, 1862. 


Baird, David 


Private 




Discharged on Surg, 
Cer. Dec. 10, '62 


Berkstresser, J. H. . 


Private 




Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Dec. 10, '62. 
Wounded at Antietam, 


Burkholder, Geo. . . 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Jan. 13, 1863. 


Crouse, Valentine. . 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


Davis, James H. . . . 


Private 




Wounded at Antietam 


Decker, Levi 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Dec. 13, 1862. 
Wounded at Antietam 


Decker, John W. . . . 


Private 




Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Mar. 16, '63. 



318 



Nam<e 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Dierfield, James H. Private 



Eckley, Jacob A. . . 
Fink, Solomon 

Gorsuch, Nathan H. 

Garner, Michael . . . 

Gregg, David F. . . . 

Heck, Levi G 

Hammond, Martin. 

Hetrick, John 

Harker, Andrew. . . 
Howard, Thos. H.. 
Harris, William. . . . 

Hetrick, Samuel S.. 
Harper, Jonathan L. 



Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 
Private 



Hunter, Robt. L. . . 


Private 


Hertle, John 


Private 


Hoover, Jos. W. . . . 


Private 


Hess, Samuel 


Private 


Hight, Jackson. . . . 
Johnson, David H. 

Knode, Peter 

Kenyon, Alfred W. 


Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 


Keefer, John 


Private 


Long, Elijah 

Miller, AbijahB.. . . 
Miller, Peter R 


Private 
Private 
Private 


Morrison, John B.. 


Private 


M'Carthy, John S. . 


Private 


O'Donnell, Const 'e. 


Private 


O'Donnell, Michael 


Private 


Pardoner, Henrv . . 


Private 



Remarks. 

Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 — bur. in 
Nat. Cem., grave No. 
3610 Penna. Section. 

Died April 22, 1S63 
Absent, sick at muster 
out. 

Discharged on Sur- 
geon Cer. Apr. 2, '63. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Nov. 21, 1862. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Dec. 10, 1862. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Apr. i, 1863. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Apr. 22, 1S63. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, '62 — bur. in 
Nat. Cem., grave No. 
3609, Penna. Section. 
Deserted Nov. 14, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antictain 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, TS62. 



Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



319 



Name. 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service 



Remarks. 



Piper, Martin M Private 

Patterson, John M. Private 

Parker, William J.. Private 

Quarry, John P. . . . Private 

Rorabaugh, Martin Private 

Rudy, Eminger S.. | Private 

Sloan, James D.. . . Private 

Slack, John R Private 

Silknitter, Solomon I Private 

Shawley, David. . . . , Private 

Spangler, Jerry. . . . Private 

Steel, Jacob Private 

Snyder, James G. . . Private 

Shawley, Daniel . . . Private 



Discharged on vSurg. 
Cer. Mar. 15, '63. 



Discharged ( 
Cer. Feb. 3, 



1 Surg. 
1863. 



Spanogle, George B. 


Private 


Wilson, Henry 


Private 


Wingate, Wm. B.. . ' 


Private 


Wingate, Alex. B.. 


Private 


Waldsmith, Jno. W 


Private 


Wilson, John 


Private 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Dec. 5, 1862. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Nov. 29, '62. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Dec. 10, '62. 



COMPANY I. 

Mustered into service Aug. 13, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions indicated.) 



Name. 


Rank. 


Date of Muster 
into service 


Remarks. 


Wm. F. Thomas. . . 
George Thomas. . . . 


Capt. 

ist. Lt. 




Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 


John D. Fee 


2nd. Lt. 






William Bodley. . . . 


ist. Sgt. 






Robert H. Mvers. . . 


Sergt. 






David P. Kinkead 
William Pope 


Private 
Sergt. 




Promoted from Private 
Jan. I, '63. 


Geo. W. Hall 


Sergt. 




Promoted from Private 
April 10, '63. 
Wounded at Antietam,. 


Thomas L. Hall 


Sergt. 




Md., Sept. 17, '62 — 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Apr. 10, '63. 



320 



Name. 



Rank. 



Alfred McAllister. 

John H. Sower. . . 
John D. Coder . . . 

D. Porter Couch. . 

Samuel Houck. . . . 
George A. Mitchell 
James B. Harris. . 

Daniel Kaufifman . 

Andrew Harbison. 

Wm. A. Keister. . . 

Isaiah Foster 



Edward H. Wirt. . 

James H. Lightner 

Robison, Gill 

Allison, Samuel S 

Anderson, W 

Baker, Reuben T 
Bradley, Thomas 
Brode, Abraham. 

Baker, F.Alfred. 

Birge, Wm. H . . . 

Bamet, David. 
Corbin, Benjamin 
Coder, Sam'l. C. . 
Clark, Thomas A. 
Corbin, Henry L. 

Coder, Simon 



Sergt. 

Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 
Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Mus. 

Mus. 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Clark, Thomas H.. . Private 



Died at Huntingdon, 
Pa., Oct. 25, 1862, of 
wounds received at An- 
tietam, Sept. 17, '62. 



Promoted to Corporal 
Jan. I, 1863. 

, Promoted to Corporal 
Jan. I, 1863. 

Promoted to Corporal 
March 20, 1863. 

Promoted to Corporal 
April 4, 1863. 

Promoted to Corporal 
April 10, 1863. 

Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. March 20, 1863. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. April 4, 1863. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862 — buried 
in National Cemeterv, 
grave No. 3972, Penna. 
Section. 

Absent at muster out. 

Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 3, 1863. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Died at Harper's Ferry 
Nov. 6, 1862. 
Deserted Dec. 31, 1862. 



Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Dec. 9, 1862. 
Killed at Antietam, 
Md., Sept. 17, '62 — 
buried in Nat. Cem., 
grave 3784, Penna. 
Section. 



321 



Name. 



Rank. 



Corbin, William W. 
Deviney, David A. . 
David, Benjamin. . 



Private 
Private 
Private 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



(Aug. 1 6) 



Guardlock, Conrad Private ' (Aug. i6) 

Grav, Daniel Private 

Hoffman, Jas. L. . . Private 

Hawn, Merits ; Private ; 

Heffright, Martin . . Private 

Harvey, John F. . . . Private 

Hall, Albert Private j 

Hoover, Robt Private 

Hanawalt, Wm. H. Private ! 

Houck, AVilliam... Private i 

Howard, John Private . 

Householder. G. W. Private (Aug. i6) 



Hays, Wilham M. . . Private 

Harken, Sam'l B... Private 

Jamison, Benjamin Private 

j 

Martin, William... ' Private 

Miller, Frederick. . . Private 

Mick, Solomon. .. . Private 



M'Laughlin, W. H. 

Nee, Henry 

Powell, Henry H.. . 

Ready, John 

Roupe, Theodore . . 
Roupe, William. . . 
^1 



Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 



Remarks. 

Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

I Died at Pleasant Val- 
ley, Md., Oct. 29, 1862. 
Wounded at Antietam 

iSept. 17, 1862. Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 

; Dec. 9, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Died Sept. 18, 1862, 
of wounds rec'd ^ at 
Antietam Sept. 17, '62. 
Died Oct. 31 at Fred- 
erick, Md., of wounds 
1 rec'd at Antietam, 
[Sept. 17, '62. 
I Wounded at Antietam 
iSept. 17. '62— and 
I died of his wounds at 

Coffee Run, Pa., Nov. 

16, '62. 
I Wounded at Antietam 
1 Sept. 17, 1862 — .tbsent 

in hospital at muster 

out. 

1 Wounded at Antietam, 
1 Sept. 17, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 

Sept. 17, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17- 1862— Dis- 

1 charged on Surg. Cer. 

I Dec. 15, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



322 



Name. 


R&nk. 


Date of Muster 
into service. 


Ripple, George .... 


Private 




Steel, William W. . . 


Private 




Sankey, Thomas J. 


Private 




Seebeck, John 


Private 




Smith, Christopher 


Private 




Shannon, Patrick. . 


Private 




Scott John W 


Private 




Shaffer, Isaiah 


Private 




Snyder, Joseph. . . . 


Private 




Wolfkill, Daniel D. 


Private 




Woomer, Isaac .... 


Private 




Warfel, Adam 


Private 




Warfel, Henry C. . . 


Private 





Remarks. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Killed at Chancellors- 
ville, May 3, 1863. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. iQ, 1863. 
Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



COMPANY K. 

Mustered into service Aug. 14, 1862. Mustered out May 18, 1863. 

(Exceptions Indicated.) 



Joseph W. Gardner 
Edw. R. Dunegan. . 
Daniel J Traves .... 

Henry B. Huff 

Joseph H. Bryan. . 

William Graw 

HughG. Krise 

John Kahoe 

William J. Bradley 

Frank Beatty 

George W. Russell. 

John Commerford . 

Britten E. Cluck. . . 
Henry M. Shots 

John A. M'Intyre. . 

Bernard J.M'Feeley 



Rank. 



Capt. 
ist. Lt. 
2nd. Lt. 
I St. Sgt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Sergt. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 
Corp. 

Corp. 

Corp. 



Date of Muster 
into service 



(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 16) 



(Aug. 16) 
(Aug. 13) 



(Aug. 16) 



Remarks. 



Promoted from Private 
Aug. 16, 1862. 



Pr. to Corp. Aug. 16 — 
wd. at Antietam Sept. 
17, 1862. 



Pr. to Corp. Aug. 16. 
'62 — capt'd at Chan- 
cellorsville May 3, '63, 



323 



Name. 



Caleb Tipton .... 

Akers, Wilson L.. 
Able, John H.. . . 
Arbel, Thomas G. 
Beatty, Jacob . . . 
Burkheimer, M.. 
Brunt, William. . 

Bender, Simon . . 

Bierman, Fredk.. 

Beal, John S 



Rank. 



Beal, William . 

Bell, Joseph H. 
Bender, James. 



Mus. 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 



Private 



Boartman, A. H.. . Private 



Date of Muster 
into service 



(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 



Private 

Private (Aug. i6) 



(Aug. 1 6) 



Cluck, Jacob 


Private 




Collier, Elias B 


Private 




Cook, Henry H 


Private 




Crook, Peter 


Private 


(Aug. i6) 


Callaghan , Andrew- 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Conway, John A. . . 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Cratin, Joshua 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Dillon, Charles. . . . 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Donahue. Patrick. . 


Private 




Ehrnfelt, Jacob M. . 


Private 




Edmonson, Sam'l B. 


Private 




Elder, Henry R. . . . 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Engles, Robt. P 


Private 




Finney, Francis . . . 


Private 




Farrell, James 


Private 


(Aug. 1 6) 


Grey, Geo. W 


Private 

1 


(Aug. 1 6) 1 



Remarks. 



Promoted to Musician 
Aug. i6, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Feb. 9, 1863. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — Dis- 
charged on Surg. Cer. 
Mar. 7, 1863. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 23, 1863. 
Discharged on Surg. 
Cer. Feb. 23, 1863. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62 — died of 
his wounds at Harris- 
burg Oct. 13, '62 — bur. 
in Mount Kalmia Cem- 
etery. 



Killed at Antietam, 
Sept. 17, 1862. 

Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862 — absent 
in hospital at muster 
out. 



Died at Washington, 
April 28, 1863. 



324 



Name. 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Remarks. 



Gates, Henry A. . . . 

Hoffman, Frederick 

Hall, Edmund. . . 
Hicks, Josiah D.. 
Hobart, Barth'w. 
Inlow, Francis. . . 



Jones, George W. 

Kearney, Patrick F 

King, James . . 
Lee, Martin. . . 



Loudon, Geo. M. . 

Matthews, John . 

Myers, William. . 

Mauer, Joseph. . . 

Mabus, Leonard. 

M'Lune, Geo 

M'Mullen, John E 

M'Cleary. Samuel 

M'Gough, Chas. . 
M'Gough, Silas A. 

M'Guire, Hirain, 
M'Dermitt, M. A. 



Noel, Michael J.. . 

Orr, Aaron F 

Rodamon, John . . 
Rhodes, Jacob. . . . 

Rhodes, Abraham 

RhodSfe; Isaac .... 
Ramaley, Wm. R. 
Robin.son, James H 
Reinhart, Joseph. 
Richard. George. . 
Speilman, Wm. P. 
String, William. . . 



Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Private 

Pri\'ate 

Private 
Private 

Piivate 

Private 
Private 

Private 
Private 



M'Dermitt, Louis C. Private 



Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 
Private 



(Aug. 1 6) 



(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 



(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 



(Aug. 1 6) 

(Avig. r6) 

(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 

(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 

(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. 1 6) 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



Died at Harper's Ferry 
Dec. 25, 1862. 

Killed at Antietam 
Sept. 17, '62. 

Died near Maryland 
Heights Oct. 5, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam. 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



AVounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 
Died Oct. 17, 1862, of 
wounds rec'd at An- 
tietam Sept 17, 1862. 
Died Oct. 18, 1862, of 
wounds rec'd at An- 
tietam Sept. 17, 1862. 



Wounded at Antietam 
Sept. 17, 1862. 



(Aug. 16) 



325 



Name. 

Sueger, Hugh 

Smith, Robert 

Shafer, Jacob 

Trought, Frederick 
Tierney, Francis P. 
Weakfield, Thomas 

Ward, Frederick C. 



Wright, WilHam L. 
Yerger, Henry 



Rank. 



Date of Muster 
into service. 



Private 

Private 

Private 
Private 
Private 

Private 

Private 



Private 
Private 



(Aug. 1 6) 

(Aug. 1 6) 
(Aug. I 6) 



Remarks. 



Wounded at Antietani 
Sept. 17, 1862 — absent 
in hospital at muster 
out. 



Died Sept. 19, 1862, 

of wounds rec'd at 

Antietam Sept. 17, '62 

— bur. in Nat. Cem., 

grave No-. 3749, Penna. 

Section. 

Deserted Aug. 16, 1862. 



THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 

BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM 

(Extracts from his ^Memorial Day Poem.) 



From Southern vales, and Northern hills, 

Where cotton grows, or nods the pine, 
Where himis the wheel of busy toil, 

Or rice swamps stretch, or mosses twine, 
Swung, from the hearth-stone to the field, 

The " Lads in Blue" and "Boys in Gray"; 
Rushed where gathering thousands formed 

In battle's dread and stern array. 

******** 

Proud steeds were prancing o'er the plain. 
Drums beat, swords clashed on swords, and life-blood freely gushe> 

The air was filled with leaden rain ; 
" On ! comrades, on ! " the ringing cry. 

Men bravely fight — men bravely die, 

******** 

Defiant cries along the line. 

In answer to the wild hurrah, — 
How greedy Death pours out life's wine, 

The richest vintage earth e'er saw. 
High o'er the thunder-storm of war proud banners wave : 
Fierce speeds the deadly hail, and glory gilds the grave. 

How bitter the strife. 

That maddens each life. 

Where brave men ne'er quail, 

And nerves never fail. 
Honor, and glory, and Countr\' to save. 

******** 

There, " Stars and Bar " surge grimly back, 

Here, " Stars and Stripes " are waving fair ; 
Anguish rests on yon gory track, — 

Here, strains of music fill the air. 
Ring loud the bells! the work is done. 

Ring loud ! and from the field of war 
Flash the glad news — the battle's won — 

To every hamlet near and far, 
326 



327 

And so, with quick, electric thrill 

Throbbed fast the news o'er pulsing wires. 

And grief seemed swallowed up, and lost. 
When joy-bells rang from all the spires. 



But comrades ! when the bells are mute, 

And reason comes, and feeling flow, 
Ah me ! we hear between the lulls. 

The separate wail of every woe. 
And tho' the end may trebly pay, 

And Fate may count it little cost, 
'Tis cruel comfort yet, I trow, 

To Rachel weeping o'er her lost. 
To North and South the message ran. 

And East and West was onward borne, 
And many heads were high in pride, 

And many too, were bowed to mourn. 
For the spirit of War rode abroad o'er the plain. 

And brother met brother to clasp hands o'er the slain ; 
The faint groans of the dying were mingled with prayer. 

And the shouts of the victor with shrieks of despair. 
Now years have flown, and Peace has come ; 

No longer hostile banners wave : 
Yet hearts must turn to dust again, 

Ere we forget our fallen brave. 
And time has touched the grieving soul. 

Who mourned the ones that here had bled : 
And North and South hold kindred ties, 

The Nation, and the Nation's dead! 
Dread silence of death is on valley and hill 

The voices of victor and vanquished are still. 
Long years have gone by since the armies were seen. 

The soldiers are sleeping — their graves now are green. 
The " Banner of Stars " shakes its folds to the breeze, 

Holds dominion on land — floats over the seas : 



APPENDIX 

A NARRATIVE 

OF IMPORTANT EVENTS 

OF THE WAR 

(IN THE ORDER OF THEIR OCCURRENCE) 



THE FIRING ON THE FLAG AT 
FORT SUMTER, APRIL 12, 1861 



THE SURRENDER (LEE TO GRANT), AT 
APPOMATTOX, APRIL 9, 1865, AND GEN. 
JOHNSON TO GEN. SHERMAN, APRIL 29, 1865 

ANO THE 

CONFEDERATE ARMY PAROLED 
AND DISBANDED, APRIL 29, 1865 



APPENDIX. 



1 he attempt of South CaroHna to secede from the Union was sup- 
pressed by President Jackson, in 1832 ; Ijut it was only delayed for a ripe 
opportunity, and this seemingly presented itself in the election of Abraham 
Lincoln to the Presidency on Nov. 6th, i860, the news of which was 
received at Charleston, S. C. with " cheers for a Southern Confederacy 
on Nov. /th," followed by an attempt to seize the arms in Fort Moultrie 
on Nov. 9th, and the resignation of the Senators from South Carolina 
on Nov. nth. The Georgia Legislature voted $1,000,000 to arm the State, 
Nov. 18. a great Secession meeting was held at Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 
1st, Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury resigned from the Cabinet, 
and Louisiana voted $500,000 to arm the State on Dec. loth, South Caro- 
lina unanimously adopted a Secession ordinance in Convention Dec. 20th, 
and refused to make any promises to President Buchanan to respect the 
Federal laws. 

Major Anderson, a brave and loyal L^nited States officer left Fort 
Moultrie and took possession of Fort Sumter with in men on Dec. 26th, 
and South Carolina seized Government property in Charleston, and took 
possession of Castle Pinckney and Fort Moultrie on Dec. 28tli. 

John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, resigned Dec. 29th because the 
President refused to order Major Anderson back to Fort Moultrie. 
Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior, resigned on Jan. 8th, on the 
sailing of the Star of the Jl'cst. with supplies for Fort Sumter, which 
was fired upon by the river batteries in Charleston Harbor and driven 
back. 

Jan. 9th, Mississippi seceded by a vote of 84 to 15. 

Jan. loth, Florida seceded by a vote of 62 to 7. 

Jan. nth Alabama seceded by a vote of 61 to 39. 

Jan. nth, Louisiana seized Forts Philip and Jackson, and Pike and 
Macomb, and the United States Arsenal at Baton Rouge. 

Jan. 13th, Florida seized Pensacola navy yard and Fort Barancas. 
Lieutenant Slemmer refused to surrender Fort Pickens, and thus saved 
it for the Union. 

Jan. i6th. Colonel Hayne demanded of the President the surrender 
of Fort Sumter, which was refused. 

Jan. i8th, Virginia appropriated $1,000,000 for State defence. 

Jan. 19th, Georgia seceded by a vote of 208 to 89. 

Jan. 2 1 St. Jefferson Davis resigned from the L^nited States Senate. 

Jan. 26, Louisiana seceded by a vote of 113 to 17. 

Feb. 1st, Texas seceded by a vote of 166 to 7. 

Feb. 9th, the Confederate Government organized at Montgomery, Ala., 
and elected Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens provisional 
President and Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy. 

331 



332 

The electoral vote of February 13th gave Al)rahaiii Lincoln 180, 
Stephen A. Douglas 12, John C. Breckenridge -i. and John Bell 39. 
These four candidates representing the various views (if Union Men 
on the issue then pending. 

Abraham Lincoln, who thus became President of the L'nited States, 
was like Moses and \\'a>liiiigt(in, a Providential leader raised up for a 
special emergenc}- and titled to bear an enormous responsibilit\- and a 
Inirdcn of anxiety, such as would have overwhelmed any ordinary man, 
and yet how patiently, kindly, conscienciously. bravely and skilfully he ful- 
filled his splendid mission, and carried it to a successful issue. 

Mr. Lincoln was born Feb. 12th, 1809, in a lowly cabin in Kentucky. 
His parents were poor, and he was raised in povertj^ worked hard for 
his living splitting rails and doing other farm work. Later he was 
employed in a village store, and subsequently became a surveyor. .\t the 
age of ly he was si.\ feet fmir inches in height and very strong and nuis- 
cular ; his only books were the Bible. ^-Esop's Fabler, history of the United 
States, life of Washington, and an English grammar, which he borrowed. 
In 1832 he was a cai)tain in the Black Haw^k War, in his 23rd year. From 
his 25th to 33rd year, be was in the Illinois Legislature, followed later 
by one term in Congress. He began the practice of law in 1837, and took 
an active part in political controversy. While in the Illinois Legislature 
he put binisclt cm recnrd against sla\ery in the following words: "The 
Institution of Slavery is founded in injustice and bad policy." and at a 
later date, declared that " This Government cannot endure permanentlj'' 
half slavery, and half free." While in Congress he presented a resolu- 
tion for the gradual abolition of slaxery with compensation to the 
owners, which showed a moderation and fair mindedness towards slave 
holders that it would have been well for thcni to have heeded, hut the 
South refused all propositions of compromise. In 1858, Mr. Lincoln's 
debate with Senator Douglas on the slavery issue, showed him possessed 
of such consummate wisdom and tact and conser\-ati\'e statesmanshi]!. 
that he towered above all other public men in the National councils, and 
he received the Republican nomination, was elected, and inaugurated Presi- 
dent of the I'nited States on March -|tb. 1861. 

The Soiub at once connnenced acti\c liostiliiies : on March 3tli 
General Beauregard took command of the troops at Charleston S. C. 
and on April 7th ordered all intercourse with Fort Sumter to cease ; 
on .\\>x\\ 8th, President Lincoln notified South Carolina that ]-"orl Sumter 
would be provisioned by force if necessary, and the steamer Atlantic 
sailed from Xew \'ork with troops and supplies. On .\pri! iilh Beaure- 
gard demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter which Major Anderson 
refused to do. .\pril 12th Beauregard connnenced the bombardment of 
Fort Sumter, which, after a brave defence for two days, was evacuated, 
under a flag of truce, the Major and bis men being allowed to retain 
their arms and carry the flag with them, but this overt act of the South 
in firing upon the .American flag stirred up the latent spirit of loyalty in 
the Xorth. and practically united all loyal men in a determination to ])ut 
down the rebellion and maintain the Union and the supremacy of the 
National Government at all hazards. 



333 

April 15th, President Lincoln issued a Proclamation commanding all 
persons in arms against the Government to disperse within twenty days; 
and also called for 75,000 volunteers. 

April i6th, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and Missouri refused to 
furnish troops under the President's proclamation and then the Con- 
federate Government called for 32,000 men, and Jefferson Davis issued 
a proclamation offering Letters of Marque and Reprisal to all who 
wished to engage in privateering ; thus the Nation entered upon the 
great Civil War of four years, from 1861 to 1865, in which 2,000,000 
Union Men were enrolled to uphold the Government and preserve the 
Union, of whom 400,000 were slain in battle, or died of disease; and 
300,000 returned maimed or crippled for life, and $5,000,000,000 were ex- 
pended before the Southern forces were vanquished and surrendered to 
General Grant at Appomattox. What it cost the South in the loss of 
lives and property, including the slaves freed, by the Emancipation Procla- 
mation of President Lincoln, which was issued by him as a war measure 
Sept. 22, 1862, can probably never be accurately estimated, but the great 
totality of misery and destruction resulting to both sides, presents a 
salutary object lesson against war for the adjustment of human ills, and 
the Nation or People who resort to war must be well assured that their 
cause is just and righteous, and then, only, when all peaceable means of 
adjustment have failed. 

President Lincoln was spared to see his Emancipation Proclamation 
ratified by Congress and become the law of the land ; 120,000 of the freed 
slaves were enrolled as Union soldiers and did good service under skilled 
leaders. He lived to witness the overthrow of rebellion, the downfall of 
the Southern Confederacy, by the surrender of General Lee at Appo- 
mattox, insuring the safety of the Union, and then died by the hand of an 
assassin at Washington, on April 14th, 1865. He died a glorious Martyr 
in the cause of Liberty and righteousness, and his name will be forever 
enshrined with that of Washington in the veneration and affectionate 
regard of his countrymen. This brief tribute to him may be fitly closed 
with two of his famous utterances which indicate forcibly his reverence 
and high sense of duty, his firm determination and forgiving spirit. 
Li his second Inaugural address delivered only forty days before his 
assassination, he said, '" H we shall suppose that American slavery is 
one of those offenses which in the providence of God must needs come, 
but which, having continued through the appointed time, he now wills 
to remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible war, 
as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern 
therein any departure from those Divine attributes which the believers 
in a living God always ascribe to him? Fondly do we hope, fervently 
do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. 
Yet if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bonds- 
men's 250 years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop 
of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid with another drawn by the 
sword as was said 3,000 years ago, so still it must be said: The judg- 
ments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 



334 

" Willi malice towards none, with charity for all ; with firmness in the 
right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the 
work we are in; to bind up the Nation's wounds; to care for him who 
siiall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan to do all 
which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves 
and with all Nations." 

Another, delivered at Gettysburg at the dedication of a Monument to 
the memory of the Union patriots who fell on that bloody battlefield, 
has become a classic which challenges the admiration of all students of 
literature. " Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth 
upon this continent a new Nation, conceived in libertj', and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a 
great Civil War, testing whether the Nation, or any Nation .so conceived 
and .so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield 
of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a 
final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that Nation 
might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. 
But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot 
hallow this ground. The brave men. living and dead, who struggled here 
have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract. The world 
will little note, or long remember, what we .say here, but they can never 
forget what ihey did here. It is for us. the living, rather, to be dedicated 
here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far 
so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great 
task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take in- 
creased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure 
of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have 
died in vain, that this Nation under God shall have a new birth of 
Freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the 
people, shall not perish from the earth." 

We will now return to a recital, chronologically, of the principal events 
that occurred after the firing on Fort Sumter, on April I2th, 1861 : 

.\pril 17th. Virginia seceded by a vote of 60 to 53, and placed obstruc- 
tions in the channel at Norfolk to prevent the sailing of United States war 
vessels from that place. 

April 19. President Lincoln declared the ports of South Carolina, 
Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas in a state 
of blockade. 

April 27th, all the United officers were requested to take the oath of 
allegiance. 

May 3rd, President Lincoln called for 42,000 volunteers or recruits 
for three years, 22,000 for the regular army, and 18,000 seamen. 

Ma)' 4th, General McClellan was placed in command of the Department 
of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. 

May 5th. General Butler with the 6th Mass. and 8th New York regi- 
ments, took possession of the Relay House, Md. 

May 24th, 13.000 troops crossed the Potomac and occupied Alexandria, 
where Colonel F.llsworth was shot by Jackson, who was also instantly 
killed. 



335 

June loth, at battle of Big Bethel, three regiments of Union troops 
were defeated; Union loss, Major Winthrop and sixteen men killed, and 
forty-one wounded. 

July 2nd, General Patterson defeated the Confederates at Falling 
Water, Va. Union loss, three killed and ten wounded. 

July 5th, battle of Carthage, Mo. After a protracted contest. Colonel 
Sigel with 1500 Union troops retreated to Springfield. Union loss, three 
killed, 31 wounded. 

July nth, the senators from Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, 
and Nicholson, of Tennessee, were expelled from the United States 
Senate. 

July 1 2th, at battle of Rich Mountain, Colonel Rosecrans defeated 
the Confederates, capturing 800 prisoners, besides 150 killed and wounded 
on Confederate side. Union loss, 11 killed, and 35 wounded. 

July 13th, battle of Carrick's Ford, Va. Confederates defeated, and 
their General, Garnett, killed. Union loss, two killed, and ten wounded. 

July 13th, battle of Scareytown, Va. The Union forces imder Colonel 
Lowe were defeated. Union loss, nine killed, and 40 wounded. 

July 15th, skirmish at Bunker Hill, Va. An attack by Rebel cavalry 
under Colonel Stewart was repulsed. 

July i8th, battle of Blackburn Ford, Va., resulting in General Tyler, 
commanding the Union forces, withdrawing to Centreville. Union los.s, 
19 killed, and 64 wounded. 

July 2ist, battle of Bull Run opened favorably for the Union troops 
under General McDowell, but the arrival of General Johnston with large 
reinforcement caused a disorderly retreat towards Washington. Union 
loss, 481 killed, 104 wounded, 1216 missing; Confederate loss 209 killed, 
1483 wounded. 

July 22nd, General McClellan placed in command of the Army of the 
Potomac. 

July 25th, General Rosecrans took command of the Army of West 
Virginia. 

Aug. 2nd, General Lyon defeated the Confederates at Dug Springs. 
Mo. Union loss, 8 killed, 30 wounded. 

Aug. loth, battle of Wilson Creek, Mo. Union troops 5000, Con- 
federates 10,000; after a hard fight of six hours General Lyon was 
killed, and the Union troops under Colonel Sigel and Major Sturges 
retired to Springfield, but the enemy did not pursue. Union loss, 223 
killed, 1012 wounded and missing. Confederate loss, 265 killed, and 800 
wounded. 

Aug. I2th, President Lincoln appointed Sept. 30th a fast day. 

Aug. 29th, Fort Hatteras surrendered to the Union forces. Con- 
federate loss, 49 killed, 51 wounded, 691 prisoners. 

Sept. 4th, the Confederates attempted to cross the Potomac at Great 
Falls, but were repulsed. 

Sept. loth, battle of Carnifex Ferry. General Rosecrans with 4500 
troops attacked the Confederates under Floyd, who retreated during the 
night, destroying the bridge to prevent pursuit. Union loss, 15 killed, 
and 70 wounded. 



336 

Sept. iJtli, fight at Chcal Mmnitain, and Colonel J. A. \\'as]iington, 
proprietor Mt. X'ernon, killed. Union loss, 9 killed, 12 wounded. 

Sept. 17th, battle of Blue Mills, Mo.. Rebels retreated. Union loss, 
12 killed, and 85 wounded. 

Sept. 20, battle of Lexington, Mo. Colonel ^^lulligan with 2460 Union 
troops was attacked by a much larger force; after a gallant defence 
of four days was compelled to surrender. Union loss, 39 killed, and 120 
wounded. 

Oct. 2ist, battle of Balls Bluff; Colonel Baker with 1900 Union 
troops being unsupported by reinforcements as planned, had to contend 
with a superior force, and after a hard fight in which Colonel Baker was 
killed, the Federals retreated. Union loss, 22^ killed, 266 wounded, and 
455 prisoners. 

Oct. 2ist, battle of Wild Cat. Ky. General Zollicoffer with 6000 
Confederates was repulsed by General Schepfl^. Union loss, 4 killed, 21 
wounded. 

Oct. 29th. the Second Naval outfit of 80 vessels and 15.000 men sailed 
from Fortress Monroe under Comnioduro Dupont. General Sherman Com- 
manding the land forces. 

Nov. 7th, battle of Belmont ; General Grant with 2800 troops drove 
the enemy out. destroyed their camp, and captured a quantity of arms, 
but was compelled to retreat on the arrival of reinforcements. Union loss 
84 killed, 288 wounded, 235 missing. 

Nov. 27th, General McClellan directed the observance of the Sabl)ath 
in all the companies of the United States Army. 

Dec. 5th, Official Report of the Union forces show at this date 640.537 
volunteers, 20,334 regulars. 22.000 seamen. 

Dec. 17th, fight at Munfordville. Ky. a drawn battle. Union loss, 10 
killed and 17 wounded. 

Dec. i8th. General Pope captured 1300 rebels. 1000 stand of arms, 
horses and wagons at Mil ford. Mo. 

Dec. 20th, battle of Drain.s\ illc. \'a. General McCall defeated the 
Confederates. Union loss. 7 killed, and 61 wounded. 

Jan. 4th. i86j. (General Milroy defeated Confederates at Huntersvillc, 
^'a., and c.iptured $80,000 worth of stores. 

Jan. loth. Colonel Garfield defeated the Confederates under Humphrey 
Marshall at Prestonburg. Ky. 

Jan. 19th. battle of Mill Spring. Ky. Confederates defeated, their 
General, Zollicoffer, killed. Union loss 39 killed, and 127 wounded. 

Feb. 6th, Fort Henry surrendered to Commodore Foote. 

Feb. 8th, General Burnside captured the six forts on Roanoke Island 
and destroyed the Confederate fleet, taking 2500 prisoners, and a large 
quantity of ammunition. 

Feb. i6th, Fort Donelson was unconditionally surrendered to General 
Grant by General Buckner. with 12.000 to 15.000 prisoners. 40 cannons. 
iMul a large amount of stores. Union loss, 321 killed, 1046 wounded. 

Feb. 22nd. Jeffer.son Davis inaugurated President, and .\. H. Stephens 
Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy. 



337 

March 6th to 8th, battle of Pea Ridge resuhed in the defeat of the 
Confederates by General Curtis. Union loss 212 killed, and 926 wounded. 

March 8th, the Rebel steamers, Mcn-imac, Jaincstozvn and Yorktozvn 
attacked the United States fleet at Hampton Roads, and destroyed the 
Cumberland and Congress. Union loss, 201 killed, and 108 wounded. 

March 9th, the Monitor attacked the Merrimac, and she was com- 
pelled to seek protection of the Rebel battery at Sewall's Point, and 
never renewed the contest. 

March 14th, General Burnside captured Newberne, N. C, with a large 
quantity of ammunition and stores. Union loss, 91 killed, and 466 
wounded. 

April 6th and 7th, battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburg Landing, Con- 
federate Generals Johnston and Beauregard attacked General Grant. 
Rebels finally defeated, and retreated to Corinth. Union loss, 1641 
killed, 7721 wounded, 3956 missing. General Johnston was killed. 

April 8th, Island No. 10 was captured with 5000 prisoners, 100 siege 
guns, 24 pieces of field artillery, 5000 small arms, 2000 hogshead of 
sugar, and a large quantity of ammunition, etc. The Union forces did 
not lose a man. 

April I2th, General Mitchell captured 2000 Confederates at Chat- 
tanooga. 

April 19th, General Reno with 2000 Union troops defeated the Con- 
federates at Camden, N. C. Union loss, 14 killed, and 99 wounded. 

April 25th, Commodore Farragut took possession of New Orleans, 
and secured Forts Jackson and St. Philip, 13 gunboats including the ram 
Manassas, and iron-clad Louisiana. 

May 5th, battle of Williamsburg, Va. Generals Hancock and Hooker 
defeated the Confederates, who retreated in the night towards Richmond. 
Union loss, 200 killed, and 700 wounded. 

May 7th, battle at West Point, Va. Generals Franklin and Sedgwick 
with 20,000 troops were attacked by the Confederate General Lee, who 
was defeated. Union loss, 300 killed and wounded. 

May loth, the Union forces took possession of Norfolk, Va., destroyed 
the iron-clad Merrimac, and secured a large quantity of ammunition, etc. 

May 12th, Natchez, Miss, surrendered to Commodore Farragut. 

May 2Sth, General Banks was defeated at Winchester, Va. and retreated 
across the Potomac. 

May 27th, Confederates defeated at Hanover C. H., Va. 

May 30th, Rebels evacuated and Union troops occupied Corinth. 

May 31st, battle of Fair Oaks, Va. Confederates under General 
Johnston attacked the left wing of the Union Army, which was driven 
back, but renewed the fight next day, and repulsed the Rebels. Con- 
federate loss, 6134. Union loss, 890 killed, and 4844 wounded. 
■ June 6th, Naval engagement, seven Rebel gunboats destroyed, and 
Memphis surrendered. 

June 26th, General Pope assigned to the command of the Army of 
Virginia. 
'?2 



338 

June 26th, Rebels atacked McClellan's right wing at Mechanicsville, 
the day closed with battle undecided. 

June 27th, battle renewed, Federals driven back. 

June 28th, fighting all day between the Federal right wing and the 
Confederate left wing, Rebels were repulsed, and the Federal force fell 
back in good order. 

June 29th, battle renewed at Peach Orchard, Confederates attacking., 
but were driven back, and again attacked at Savage Station, battle con- 
tinuing until nine o'clock at night. 

June 30th, battle renewed at White Oak Swamp, with heavy loss on 
both sides. General McCIellan retreats towards James River. General 
Heintzelman's corps subsequently charged, and routed the Confederates, 
capturing 2000 prisoners. 

July 1st, battle of Malvern Hill, and last of the Richmond battles. 
The Confederates were repulsed at every point, the Union loss in the 
six days' fighting before Richmond and 1561 killed, 7701 wounded, and 
5958 missing, mainly prisoners ; the Confederates lost 19,000, but the 
result as a whole, was a serious check to the Union arms. 

July 1st, President Lincoln called for 300,000 volunteers. 

Aug. loth, battle of Cedar Mountain ; General Jackson attacked 
General Banks, who held his position at a heavy loss of 450 killed, 
660 wounded, and 290 prisoners ; the enemy fell back, and did not renew 
the fight ; Confederate loss 1276. 

Aug. i6th, General McCIellan evacuated Harrison's Landing. 

Aug. 26th, General Ewell drove the Union troops from INIanassas and 
pushed towards Alexandria. 

Aug. 27th, General Pope fell back towards Warrenton, and, when 
joined by General Hooker, met Ewell at Kettle Run, and defeated him. 

Aug. 29th, battle of Gainsville or Groveton, Va. ; commenced at 10.00 
A. M., and continued until 6.00 p. M., when the Confederates retired. 

Aug. 30th, battle of Richmond, Ky. The Union troops under General 
Manson were defeated. U^nion loss, 200 killed, and 700 wounded, and 2000 
prisoners. 

Aug. 30th, second battle of Bull Run, the Federal forces under 
General Pope were defeated and fell back to Centreville. Union loss, 
15,000; Confederate loss, 10,000. 

Sept. 1st, fight at Chantilly, Va. The Union troops under Generals 
Hooker, Reno, and Kearney, after a fierce and short conflict, compelled 
the enemy to retire, leaving their killed and w'ounded on the field. 

Sept. 7th, General McCIellan took command of the Army of the 
Potomac. 

Sept. 14th, battle of South Mountain; the fight was severe and the 
loss heavy on both sides ; the Confederates retreated towards the Potomac, 
Union loss. General Reno, and 443 men killed, and 1806 wounded. 

Sept. 15th, Harper's Ferry surrendered witli 8000 men, to the Confed- 
erates. 

Sept. 17th. battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg) was the bloodiest 
one day's fight of the war. The two armies each numbered nearly 



339 



looooo men the Confederates retreated during the night, leaving 3500 

^ tt^isJh'Snfederates evacuated Harper's Ferry, leaving the. sick 

^"'Se^r^d, 'president Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, 

'^^Oc? ^iZ'lK battle of Corinth. Miss. Confederates were defeated 
with heavy loss. Union loss, 315 killed, 1802 wounded, 
wun iicdv^ iw:. Cpneral Buell was attacked by 

Oct 8th battle of Perryville, Ky. Uenerai oucii wci 
wci. oui, udiL K, J T-;^^^ll After a heaw loss on both 

Confederate Generals Jackson and Tirrell. Alter a neavy 
sides, the Confederates retreated. Union loss, over 300 killed and 

"° Not'- 3rd, the Union troops occupied Snicker's Gap, UpperviUe, 
Thoroughfare Gap, Ashby's Gap, and Piedmont, Va. 

Nov 5th, General McClellan was relieved of the command of the 
Army of the Potomac and General Burnsides succeeded him^ 

Nov i6th, President Lincoln enjoined upon the Umted State. Army 

^^^NtlsVtr:: cLrHufAt Cener. Blunt with .oc Union 
troops defaled the Confederates who retreated to Van Buren, with 

""Dei'yth the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark. Generals Blunt and 
Herr n c'olanding the Union troops defeated the Confederates, who 
retreated in the night, leaving their dead and wounded. Union loss, 

%'::i;hthe^Re:^^^^^^^^ Morgan captured four regiments of Umon 

%r:"le o?F;edericksburg, Va. The Confederate works were 
attacked in their intrenchments by Generals Sumner Hooker, and 
Frathn, but they were repulsed with a heavy loss. Umon los, . 
killed, 9600 wounded, and 1769 missing or prisoner.. Confederate loss, 
^OK killed 4074 wounded, and 653 missing or prisoners. 

Dec 27th General Sherman made an attack on Vicksburg, but ailed 
for w^nt of 'co operation which could not reach him, and he was driven 

^'^Dec 3ist battle of Murfreesboro (or Stone River). General Rose- 
crans wi 1^45 o o Union troops was attacked, and his right -ng drivei. 
back with a I'oss of 26 guns; but the Confederates wei. -P"'- ^ J^^ ^- 
ground regained. Union loss, in three days fighting, 600 killea, 5 

wounded, and 1000 missing. Mississippi squadron 

Ton Tntli t86^ battle at Arkansas Post. 1 ne mibbibsiyfi oh 

J-A^ •.;S;.e. a.. ,a„. --„- G.n.a. ^^^^^^ 

this place with 7000 prisoners, and a large quanmy 
TTninn loss 200 killed and wounded. . . . , j 

j"n. .Sth, Sneral Hooker succeeded Genera. Burns.de m the comman-l 

of the army of the Potomac. 



340 

March 5th, General Coburn with five regiments of infantry and two 
of cavalry, was attacked by a superior force of Confederates under 
General Van Dorn, and was defeated with a heavy loss, 120 killed, and 
1206 taken prisoners. 

April 27th to May 5th, battle of Chancellorsville. 

The Union Army under General Hooker commenced marching April 
27th, crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan and got in position at 
Chancellorsville about ten miles west of Fredericksburg. After skirmish- 
ing on Friday and Saturday, May ist and 2nd, the main battle was fought 
Saturday evening and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd. A successful flank 
attack by General Jackson routed the nth corps and disarranged 
General Hooker's plans, resulting in the defeat of the Federal Army, and 
its withdrawal from the field on May 5th. The Union loss was 17,287 
killed, wounded and prisoners. The Confederate loss was 13,000 killed, 
wounded and prisoners, but in the death of " Stonewall Jackson " from 
a wound received in this battle, the Confederate cause sustained a loss 
from which it never recovered. 

May 14th, battle of Jackson, Miss. May 23rd, assault on Vicksburg. 

June 9th, a severe cavalry fight occurred at Fleetwood, Va. between 
the Union cavalry under General Pleasanton, and the Confederate cavalry 
under General Stuart, ending in heavy losses on both sides. Union 
loss, 907, Confederate loss, 485. 

June 15th, battle at Winchester, General Milroy was attacked by 
the Confederate General Evvcll, and after a severe engagement the Union 
troops retreated to Harper's Ferry and thence to Maryland Heights, and 
Hancock. Ewell captured 4000 prisoners, 25 cannon, and 11 flags, then 
crossed the Potomac to Hagerstown and Sharpsburg, and sent a cavalry 
brigade under General Jenkins towards Chambersburg. 

June 2ist, General Pleasanton with cavalry and infantry attacked 
General Stuart's cavalry brigade at Upperville, and drove him back to 
Ashby's Gap. 

June 23rd, to June 27th. the cavalry under General Imboden (Con- 
federate) ordered on General Ewell's left were due as far north as 
McConnellsburg, but halted at Hancock {from Loiigsti'cct's book). 
The Confederates stopped two days at Chambersburg, Pa. 

June 28, General Lee issued orders for the march on Harrisburg, 
General Ewell then occupying Carlisle. The failure of the Imboden 
cavalry on his left caused General Ewell to send General Geo. H. Stewart 
through McConnellsburg to guard that flank. (Lougstrcet.) 

June 27th, General Geo. G. Meade took command of the Army of the 
Potomac, in place of General Hooker, who resigned because General Hal- 
lock refused him the use of troops at Harper's Ferry, with which to 
strike the Confederate line of communication. (General Lougstrcet since 
says their trains zccre exposed front Clianibersburg to the Potomac, 
without cax-alry to report trouble.) 

July 1st, battle of Gettysburg. General John F. Reynolds, commander 
of the right wing of the Union Army (ist, 3rd, and nth corps) advanced 
to the support of General Buford's cavalry, which had met Heth's division 



341 

at 10.00 o'clock a. m. and been forced back to Willoughby Run, and 
was killed in the severe engagement that followed. General Doubleday's 
division arriving, and the Confederates likewise being reinforced, a 
general engagement followed. General Howard of the nth Corps, had 
occupied Cemetery Hill, and sent two divisions (Barlow and Schurz) 
to support Doubleday. At 2.45 p. m. the Union forces were compelled 
to withdraw to Cemetery Hill, followed by the Confederates through the 
streets of Gettysburg at 4.00 p. M. General Hancock having arrived on 
the field at 3.00 o'clock p. m. assumed command, and, assisted by General 
Howard, formed a new line. 

July 2nd, at 12.00 o'clock noon, a skirmish between the 3rd Maine and 
the loth Alabama, reinforced by the nth Confederate Regiment, resulted 
in the withdrawal of our skirmishers to the main line at 3.00 p. m. 
The combat opened by the Confederate artillery upon the Union left, 
followed by an advance of Hood's troops towards " Little Round Top," 
the " Battle was on " and the fighting desperate and bloody. General 
Hood fell seriously hurt, and General Law succeeded him in command; 
on the Union side, General Sickles was badly wounded and lost a leg; 
General Hancock reported sixty per cent, of his men lost; the battle 
of this day ended by the recall of the Confederates at sundown, and the 
result was a heavy loss on both sides, but the Union loss exceeded that 
of the Confederate. 

July 3rd, the Confederate General Geo. E. Pickett with 15,000 
troops, made a daring assault on the Union line across an open space 
a mile in width, and sufifered so disastrously from the artillery and 
rifles of the Union forces, that the slaughter was unparalleled in the 
annals of the war. 

July 4th, General Lee issued orders for the retreat of the Confederate 
Army and this ended the Battle of Gettysburg. 

Union forces engaged, 99,131 ; Union loss, 23,049, killed and wounded. 

Confederate forces engaged, 75,568; Confederate loss 21,637, killed 
and wounded. 

July 4th, Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant, which gave the 
control of the Mississippi to the Gulf. 

July 13th, General Kilpatrick's cavalry came upon the rear of the 
Confederates and captured General Pettigrew and 200 prisoners. Petti- 
grew was mortally wounded, and died in a few days. 

July i8th, assaults on Fort Wagner. July 27th, Rebel cavalry leader, 
John Morgan, captured. 

Sept. 29th, General Frazee, with 2000 Confederate troops, surrendered 
to General Burnside at Cumberland Gap, Tenn. 

Sept. 20th, Chickamauga Campaign. 

Oct. 19th, General Grant took command of the departments of 
Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio, with General Thomas in command of 
the Cumberland, and General Sherman in command of the Tennessee. 
The points on Lookout Mountain commanding the river were recap- 
tured by General Hooker, on October 29th. On November 24th, 
Sherman marched up the Tennessee and crossed it, and captured the east 



342 

end of Missionary Ridge. General Thomas formerly held the centre and 
Hooker drove the enemy from Lookout Summit, and on Nov. 2Sth, 
the enemy were completely routed. Union loss 4000 killed, wounded and 
missing ; Confederate loss, 6000 prisoners, 42 cannon, 600 guns, besides 
thousands in killed and wounded. 

1864, Feb. 20th, battle of Olistee, Florida. 
April 20th, Plymouth, N. C. captured. 
May 15th, battle of Resaca, Ga. 

June 2nd, battle of Cold Harbor, Va. 

June 5th, battle of Piedmont, Va. 

June nth, Sherman reached Kenesaw. 

June 19th, Rebel ram Alabama sank by the Kcarsarge. 

July 22nd, Major General McPherson killed. 

July 28th, fighting ends at Atlanta, Ga. 

July 30th, Chambersburg invaded and burned by the Confederates. 

Aug. sth, Mobile forts attacked. 

Aug. 6th, ram Tennessee captured. 

Aug 31st, battle of Jonesboro, Ga. 

Sept. 4th Rebel General Morgan killed. 

Sept. 22nd, battle of Fisher's Hill, Va. 

Sept. 28th, Fort Harrison, Va. captured. 

Oct. 20th, Rebel steamer Florida captured. 

Oct. 27th, ram Albemarle destroyed. 

Nov. 14th, General Sherman marched to the sea. 

Dec. 2ist, Savannah captured. 

Dec. 24th, Fort Fisher stormed. 

1865, Feb. nth, Charleston, S. C. evacuated. 
Feb. 17th, Columbia, S. C. burned. 

April 1st, battle of Five Forks. 

April 9th, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomatto.x. 
April 14, President Lincoln assassinated. 

April 26th, Confederate General Johnston surrendered to General 
Sherman. 

May loth, Confederate President Jeflferson Davis captured. 
July 29th. Confederate soldiers paroled to their homes. 



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